Liz Smith

My story begins late last summer. I wasn't feeling like myself, I was tired all the time. I had a trip to the ER because I was dizzy and my vision was blurry.  The Dr's didn't find anything out of the ordinary. They ran CAT scans that didn't show anything. A short time later I had a bad tooth ache.  The dentist found an abscess that was filled with fluids. 
That was the beginning of blood tests, MRI's more scans - lots of appointments. 
Then finally an answer that led to more questions - Multiple Myeloma. 
What is that? It is a cancer of the plasma cells, the white blood cells that are found in the bone marrow to fight infections. In some people the body will overproduce deformed plasma cells and can form tumors. In Multiple Myeloma the overgrowth of deformed plasma cells crowds out healthy blood cells. Low red blood cell counts can cause anemia, fatigue, bruising or bleeding issues, it can also raise the risk of infection.  Myeloma cells can cause weak bones and damage the kidneys. (This information if from HealthMonitor- Guide to Living with Multiple Myeloma)
This disease is not curable, but it is treatable.
So, I began my journey...
My treatment regimen consisted of shots and pills, radiation and bone marrow transplants. Black and Decker drills are not just for projects around the house (ha ha)!
Last week was the harvest, injections of Granix to stimulate red blood cell growth.
This coming week will be 2 rounds of chemotherapy and the reinfusion of the cells that were collected.