12 Years

Twelve years ago I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma.  Nothing was particularly wrong. Numbers from my yearly physical were pointing toward anemia & a neoplasm. So there were tests & biopsies & MRIs. Within a few weeks they had it all nailed down.  Stage IIIA MM subtype IgA lambda. IgA was known to be refractory, which means difficult to treat, and known to have poor outcomes.

Five years was the prognosis.

And refractory is just what I am. Front-line treatments did not produce a sustained response.

My stem cell transplant produced a mere 22 month remission.

Pomalyst caused other problems, so I had to come off.

I'm slow, a little dull, prone to infection & weak.

But thanks to my fabulous hematological oncologist at Tufts/NEMC, Dr Kenneth Miller & everyone on South 8......

Here I am, seven years past my "expiration date".  Grateful every day.