I have survived two bouts of multiple myeloma cancer due to the Grace
of God and two ADULT STEM CELL transplants.
Multiple myeloma is also called bone marrow cancer and is a blood
cancer. Multiple myeloma can also
destroy bone. I felt ill for 9 months and
was treated for arthritis before I was tested with blood tests, x-rays and bone
marrow biopsy which proved I had multiple myeloma cancer.
The first multiple myeloma cancer in 2003 affected my bones so that my
x-rays looked like someone had used me for target practice. I had “holes in my head” (which my dad had
accused me of as a child). All through my chemotherapy I was given the drug,
Zometa which promoted bone growth and my skull lesions filled in. No longer do I have “holes in my head”. I endured 5 months of chemo.
In the sixth month I was an
outpatient for 8 hours while my blood was circulated through a machine that
pulled adult stem cells from my blood stream.
These cells were then frozen and stored until I was ready for my adult
stem cell transplant. Three bags of 1
oz. blood cells were stored. Only one
bag was needed for my transplant and the others remained frozen for future use. Another day trip a catheter was inserted in
my chest in which to apply the adult stem cell transplant and also check my
blood counts.
May 2003 I was hospitalized in
Two months after my adult stem cell transplant I was feeling “normal”
and began taking long walks, dancing and traveling. For one year I had dietary
restrictions and was told to avoid crowds, infectious people, small children,
pets, earth, plants or anything that may have the ability to make me ill. Six months after the transplant my hair,
eyebrows and eyelashes were back to normal except for the color of my
hair. I had 3 wonderful, blessed years
of life with friends and family before myeloma reared its ugly head again.
The second bout of multiple
myeloma cancer showed up in my monthly blood tests that I have done at
oncologists wherever I am at the time. I
was visiting my son in TX when the oncologist there told me to see my regular
oncologist when I returned home to NYS.
May 2006 at my regular oncologist in NY, I underwent a bone marrow
biopsy, x-rays and blood work again. The
cancer had reappeared.
This time my treatment was
different. I did not have to be
hospitalized until the transplant. I was
given 4 months of Thalomid and a steroid and a schedule to follow. I traveled during this time and did not have
restrictions as I did during my first bout of this nasty cancer. Thalomid is a
brand name for thalidomide which eats multiple myeloma cancer cells. My cancer blood count went from 1505 to 56
and my bone marrow cancer count 61% to 6% cancer on these drugs. This time the
myeloma cancer did not affect my bones at all!
I believe it was due to the Zometa that strengthened my bones plus the
calcium and exercise I use. I was taken off all drugs for a month and then on
Oct. 30, 2006 I was admitted to
On Nov. 1, 2006, this time only
2 days after my massive dose of chemo, my second stored bag of my adult stem
cells was inserted into the catheter in my chest through a syringe. I spent only 2 weeks in the hospital this time. My catheter was removed within 2 weeks of my
transplant and all went much better except for developing c-diff. C-diff is a loose bowel problem that comes
from too many antibiotics but as my body needed protection from infection,
c-diff was a small price to pay. After 2
weeks of medication it disappeared. This
time my hair did not fall out until after I returned home from the hospital as
my only chemo was at that time. My
eyebrows and eyelashes never fell out and my head didn’t resemble a billiard
ball this time.
After a couple months I felt “normal” again except for being bald. This time I don’t have as many restrictions
except for avoiding crowds and sick people.
I have no dietary restriction this time. I was on medicines for 3 months
to help my immune system. I am on
antibiotics twice a week for six months.
I will receive immunizations starting Nov. 2007 for childhood diseases
as my blood has no immunizations in it from my own childhood years. I will need all the shots people
receive. This was not done with the
first bout of cancer.
There is much more to my story and I hope to get it published. I want people to be informed and to give
hope. No embryos had to die for me to
live. Adult stem cells can be from a
donor, a relative but the best is from you (autologous).
-
Carol Franz
Home Page ║ Adult Stem Cell
Research Information & Updates ║ Links to Adult Stem Cell
sites
Contact Carol or
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House