There was nothing that could have prepared me for this life threatening diagnosis.
Amy
State: California
Congressional District:
Diseases
Blood Disease, Cancer, Rare Disease
Issues and Challenges
Amy has encountered: Access to Expert Providers, Rare / Underserved Disease
My Story
In July of 2022, I was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer called Multiple Myeloma. I was 46 years old at the time. I live in Sacramento, CA with my husband Ryan and children Emma (19) and Jordan (17). I have always had an active life and enjoyed exercising regularly, hiking and playing tennis, volunteering, being involved in community and church, leading my daughter’s Girl Scout troop, and working for the State of California as an Analyst for the Department of Social Services. There was nothing that could have prepared me for this life threatening diagnosis.
In January 2022, I began having symptoms of fatigue, back pain, and anemia. In June, my symptoms worsened, and I started having uncontrollable back pain and spasms that sent me to the hospital. Fractured vertebrae were found up and down my spine. Further testing led to a devastating diagnosis. Despite multiple myeloma being treatable, there is currently no long-term cure and relapses are inevitable.
I began a month-long stay in the hospital, trying to get relief from debilitating back pain that was caused by the cancer eating my bones, starting chemo treatment, and dealing with troubling complications. My initial treatments were successful in reducing the myeloma and back pain, and I was able to return home to my family. Two months later, I began the intense process of preparing for a stem cell transplant, which involved many tests, injections to promote stem cell growth, and a procedure to harvest stem cells called apheresis. This was an intense preparation, but the most difficult part was spending two weeks in the hospital away from my children and enduring the effects of a chemotherapy treatment called Mephalon. The result of the stem cell transplant was a partial remission. As my physical symptoms improved, I had space to deal with the reality of this disease mentally and spiritually.
My faith, determination, and loving support of many friends and family has helped me to be able to face each day with gratitude courage and a greater dependence on God. Some days it is easier than others. I am currently in remission and on a maintenance chemo drug with manageable side effects. I strive to continue to get stronger and renew my active lifestyle despite a fragile back and fatigue. I have walked two half marathons in the last year and have even started playing a little bit of tennis. I want to be able to live a fulfilling and healthy life with my husband and children. I’m hopeful that by the time I relapse in the future, there will be even more treatment options available—and maybe even a cure for multiple myeloma—thanks to ongoing research and continued funding. The treatments I have access to today exist because of the progress researchers have already made, and I’m incredibly grateful for that. I know that recent advances in the field are opening new doors, and it gives me confidence that there will be a cure in my lifetime.
My Motivation and Inspiration
I know that recent advances in the field are opening new doors, and it gives me confidence that there will be a cure in my lifetime.
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