Pregnant and diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma Cancer

I was  diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma when I  was 8 months pregnant. Not the best thing to hear when you're pregnant.  I was confused  because I didn't know what this myeloma was and shocked that I would have it.  I consider myself an active person who likes to run and do sports. When they told me I had cancer I was in denial. There is no way , maybe they mixed the results up,  Maybe just maybe....Denial indeed.

Let me rewind a bit. My OBGYN had sent me to the Oncologist to see Dr. A on a Friday  because my anemia was not getting any better. Dr. A  was confused why my doctor had send me there in the first place when I looked perfectly healthy. He ran some test and would get back with me the next week.  That weekend was the last weekend of January and we were having our baby shower. Friends  from Atlanta were staying with us that  whole week. The day I received the call From Dr. A , we were at the movies about to watch Stepfather. I stepped out of the movie theater room and  5 minutes in the conversation he tells me I have Multiple Myeloma Cancer. If he would have left the cancer out of that sentence my thought process would have been , oh um ok. Instead my thoughts were what the freak CANCER. My husband Mark came out to find me frozen and shocked what I was hearing. He took the phone and finished the conversation with Dr. A.

My Results showed that my Hemoglobin (blood levels) were low  at 6 which is half  of what it should be  12-16. Dr. A was amazed on how well I was able to function working full time while pregnant. The only symptoms I was experiencing was related to the pregnancy, or so I thought it was. I never did get lower back pains. My protein levels were high at 13.3 . The average is 6-8. Dr. A recommended to do a bone marrow test but I was not about to get probed while 8 months pregnant. That was out of the question. Then he mentioned that having the baby now would be safe, that 8 months is sufficient time and the baby would be in no critical state. I couldn't help but my facial expression had said it all. "Heck no, I will be giving birth when it is time, I am feeling great and everything can wait at least two months. You're the doctor so figure out what is safe for me and my baby." I said. I was not about to interfere with my body , not now especially being so close to her arrival. Dr. A found Dexamethasone that was safe to take and would lower my protein levels which was crucial for my bone marrow. Just in 3 weeks the steroids had made  progress and dropped down to 10.

The number one rule is to get EDUCATED. I began to do research on Multiple Myeloma . There is so many protocols for cancer from natural medicine to the "the standard chemo" which I am not a big fan of; but who really is? Second rule always get a SECOND OPINION. I ended up switching doctors because Dr.A was not good at explaining or answering questions. Third Rule remember it's your body and you have the CHOICE of what goes in it. Doctors will be pushy. That is why it is very important to get educated before making decisions that can affect your life.

In My journey  with Multiple Myeloma I will be sharing my protocols and treatments. I hope to reach people going through the same thing and bring to light the many options there is to defeat cancer. Together we can build Multiple Myeloma Awareness. Share this Blog and let me know your thoughts down below. I hope to meet more people trying to make a difference.