Fighting Multiple Myeloma

I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in February of 2012. An aggressive form. I've been on chemo ever since, hoping to reduce it enough to be able to get the stem cell treatment that would probably help the most.

After all this time we just found out in February of 2013 that the percentage of myeloma cells in my marrow has only dropped from in the 70s to into the 50s - at that rate it will be YEARS before I could get enough improvement.

And I won't be able to continue as is because a therapeutic dose of cytoxan is trying to kill me, driving my hemoglobin and white blood cells dangerously low.

I am currently on revlimid and dexamethasone (a steroid) and if the revlimid fails, there are other, newer drugs to try, but I don't know if my insurance (that I am lucky to still have) will pay for any of that. It has already cost about $500,000.00, and I can only imagine that they will not be happy to continue much longer.

I only have so much sick leave available, so we have been using vacation time to get treatments and cover hospital stays. 

I have two daughters at home - one is graduating high school this year, and I'd love to see her graduate college, get married, maybe see a grandchild someday...

My other daughter is only 10 years old, and writes all the time that "I only want my Daddy to get better." I have NO IDEA what parts of her life I'm going to get to see. I'd love to see them all.

And my wife - it's not fair to her having to endure all this, helping me, taking care of me, sometimes having to almost carry me up and down steps. We are supposed to be having some fun in our later years now, and all I can offer her is worry and fear

It would be nice to be able to pay our bills, or maybe just have some cash on hand in case of emergencies.