Jim Lubinsky

Areas of expertise

• Diagnosed June 2017 with smoldering myeloma, I expected to never see the active status. After completing a drug trial (daratumumab aka darzalex) in January 2018 for smoldering myeloma, my Mspike aka mono protein number dropped from 4 to 0.9 (4,000 to 900). During the summer of 2017, the MRI showed a growing lesion on the vertebrae at 7mm. It was time to admit "I had active myeloma" needing treatment. Having been convinced that day would never happen, agreeing to treatment was emotionally challenging. My autologous stem cell transplant in October 2017 resulted in a complete remission. Since February of 2018, I was on revlimid maintenance at 10mg to two years then 5 mg for one year. In late March 2021, the MRD test showed no myeloma and I stopped Revlimid treatment. The support from my spouse, Pat, and our 4 children, lifted my spirits when needed, giving me a renewed hope and expectation of living a long life (at diagnosis in 2015 I thought I would die soon). I truly enjoy helping other patients gain comfort in their trials, especially when facing the transition from smoldering to stem cell transplant. This is just another journey in life. I compare the journey to my sailing trips (my second passion in life). Some days we experience calm waters and light breezes and life is good. But only in strong winds and heavy seas do we learn who we are and what we're made of. Know that the storm will pass and you will move on.

About Jim