Fighting Multiple Myeloma, one event after another

February 4, 2025 - Dr. Tang confirmed his initial assessment of my labs and I received my diagnosis of BLOOD CANCER - MULTIPLE MYELOMA.

My journey ...

I would say, a year earlier is when I started feeling "off" and by April was really feeling the fatigue affect my mood and chalked it up to needing adjustments to my medications.

In August, I had a panic attack after grocery shopping with my nephew and really wish I had listened to the telephonic doctor and my sister and proceeded to go to the ER or UC.

In September a huge blood test was ordered, results were received in October '24 and I was told to schedule with my primary doctor ASAP. More labs were ordered and referral requests were put in. I was diagnosed with ANEMIA and told we needed and we needed to find the source of "where is your blood going".

November lead me to my first ER visit for fatigue and discharged advising that I needed to find the source of my blood loss and they couldn't do anything to help me, a blood transfusion would need me to present to them "hemorrhaging". I don't know who was more confused, my Mom or me.

December 10th, I saw Dr. Tang for the first time - a Hematologist / Oncologist with the LA Cancer Network and he had his suspicion on my DX but wasn't certain based on my age. He ordered a bone marrow biopsy and more labs.

December 11th, Dr. Tang called - he advised my Hemoglobin was lower than 7 and to go to the ER for a blood transfusion.

December 11th was my last day of work, I clocked out early and my Dad took me to Fountain Valley ER where I was admitted and started learning the ropes and lingo of what would become staples in my journey.

UCI - FV gave me a unit of blood and we did a CT that showed nothing remarkable & they ordered a colonoscopy - nothing found. Endoscopy ordered - nothing found. The hospital confirmed that the next step would be a bone marrow biopsy & I confirmed this was determined already and in process - I was discharged.

My biopsy scheduling wasn't ideal - it was scheduled in December & canceled. Rescheduled beginning of January and canceled. It was redirected and scheduled for January 28, 2025, UCI-Placentia Linda took great care of me!

Enter FEB. 4, 2025 and off to prescriptions being ordered, labs ordered, more authorizations needed for PET scan & consult for bone marrow biopsy, chemo schedules being made and my head spinning. Dr. Tang's initial thought was confirmed.

Feb. 5th lead me to Foothill Regional for another blood transfusion, 2 units were received in the ER and I went home the next day.

PET Scan was completed.

FEB. 19th - FIRST CHEMO

Parts of that day are a blur.

Thinking back on it makes me sad ..

Feb. 22 I ended up getting sick - and this lead to me having my sister call 911 for assistance in getting me to the hospital. I was admitted again & diagnosed with pneumonia. This hospital stay was a freaking trip - I was fine and than I wasn't. I blacked out for some parts & woke up one morning in a different room & calling my Mom to say good-bye as I thought I was dying. My parents rushed to the hospital and eventually I pulled out of whatever hell I was in and life slowly returned to normal. I was diagnosed with pneumonia & RSV and transferred to another private room. During this week long stay I had 2 more blood transfusions and breathing treatments.

That episode paused my chemo treatment and I switched from Dr. Tang's office in Anaheim to Dr. Yu's office in Fountain Valley. I was scheduled for my 2nd chemo treatment on April 2nd and boy did I have a bad reaction to this treatment. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea - but I stuck it out waving the white flag on April 6th and off to UCI - FV we went again & I was admitted for, yup you guessed it - pneumonia again.

April 15, I was in Dr. Yu's office and he decided to remove the chemo from my regime and put me on a monoclonal antibody treatment

April 24, first treatment under the new regime and I reacted very well. My only side effects were nausea (corrected with a pill) and sleepy (corrected with a nap)

May 1, treatment # 2 on the new regime and I had the same results. I must tell you, it feels SO GOOD to have a treatment and not get sick afterwards.

May 8th, treatment # 3 scheduled.