Charlie Watts

I was first diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma on August 15, 2011.  I had been seeing Dr Kent Tucker in Birmingham for 10 years because of an elevated level of protein in my blood.  He told me there was a possibility that I would one day develop Multiple Myeloma but since there had been practically no change for 10 years I thought I might be one of the lucky ones who never go on to develop myeloma.  It all started in June of 2011 when my blood pressure became elevated and medication was not bringing it down.  My family doctor suspected renal stenosis and while in the process of being tested I suffered kidney failure.  Protein had built up in my kidneys and caused the kidney failure and that's how the doctors discovered my myeloma.  I naturally had to go on dialysis but Praise God, the Lord by His grace healed my kidneys after six weeks.  I started seeing Dr Lattuada, my oncologist, in Anniston in July and after doing a bone marrow biopsy he's the one who told me I had multiple myeloma and started treating me with Velcade and dexamethasone.  With the help of the chemo and God's grace my kidney function was restored and I am now waiting for a stem cell transplant.  My stem cells have already been collected and I hope to get on with the transplant very soon. I have had several delays because of the number of tests that had to be performed and because of infection from the catheter that was placed in my chest/neck to collect my stem cells.  The catheter had to be removed Jan. 27th to get the infection under control.  Also Dr Lattuada and the UAB doctors wanted to put me on a chemo drug called Revlimid for four weeks before my transplant but after one week I developed Deep Vein Thrombosis (blood clot) in my right leg and had to be taken off the Revlimid. Maybe all the setbacks are behind me now and I'm getting close to getting my transplant.