FAQ for Newly Diagnosed Myeloma Patients

Audrey joined the Myeloma Crowd as the Community Manager in 2020 after previously working in the nonprofit field for 4 years as a director of Fundraising and Development. She graduated from BYU with a major in Spanish and Nonprofit Management. Audrey is passionate about serving others, loves learning, and enjoys a nice mug of hot chocolate no matter the weather.

Luckily, I was diagnosed with lambda light chain MM almost by accident. My orthopedic surgeon discovered bone “nibbling” after a CT scan after complaining of shin splints for over two months. I am a 75-year-old widow living in Santa Barbara. After induction and an SCT, I am in stringent complete response (SCR) and MRD. In my previous life, after college and a dual degree in biology and chemistry, I have been an IBM programmer, purchasing agent for a government contractor, Director of Materiel of a large international manufacturing company, and later Vice President of Operations for same. I thrive on information and research. I want to know why, how, and when for most problems presented to me. I enjoy charts, graphs, and writing project directed articles. For fun, especially now during my second year in lockdown, I enjoy reading and baking (new love) and preparing things I have never tried before. My neighbors and friends now ask what’s next as I don’t usually eat what I bake – I’d be as big as an elephant. I’ve enjoyed my introduction to the Myeloma Crowd (or Care Hub) as it is a vehicle for my own advocacy as well as education.

I was diagnosed with MM in Nov of 2015. Lesions had formed on my spine and I fractured a vertebra along with spinal compression. I had my stem cells harvested in December of the same year in preparation for my 1st SCT which took place in June of 2016. I went into remission and my Oncologist had recommended that I have a 2nd SCT.  Since I was already in remission, I did not want to have a second one. After many discussions with him and members of my medical team, I had my 2nd SCT in January of 2017. The 2nd SCT was much easier to tolerate and it drove me into deep remission which is where I've been ever since. I follow all the instructions set forth by my medical team and I'm feeling great! I do suffer from neuropathy which is a common side effect of chemo and I have constant pain from the cracked vertebrae. I am able to get around without any assistance but I do keep a cane in my car.

Diagnosed with MM and Chronic Kidney Disease in July of 2016. Went through induction therapy starting in August of 2016, then had his stem cells harvested in early December of that year. He had a successful Stem Cell Transplant at Dana Farber in January of 2017. He went on Revlimid and Velcade maintenance starting May of 2017. In December of 2021 Changed Velcade to Ninlaro. He is currently MRD negative and been off maintenance since April of 2023. Prior to getting MM he was sales manager for a small tooling distributor and enjoyed traveling around the country working with customers. He retired in the fall of 2018 to care for his wife who had been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Sadly, she passed away in March of 2019. He has 2 adult sons, one is a student and lives at home, the other is an underwriter and lives with his fiancée Just north of Boston. He enjoys making music, playing golf, pickleball and hiking with his dog Moose. He got involved with the coaching program a few years ago because he wanted this phase of his life to have a purpose and he found it helping others in the Myeloma Community.