Florida Myeloma Community: When Side Effects Need a Second Look and How to Manage Them
Many patients experience side effects but are unsure at what point to let their doctor know about them. It can be difficult to know when side effects like chemo brain, rashes, or fatigue warrant another doctor visit.
Fellow Florida group member Nancy Brimhall will share her expertise as a RN to address these concerns. We will also be joined by Todd Foster who will show the very useful Patient Solutions tool in which crowd sourced solutions can be submitted and rated by patients, thus gathering helpful data for everyone experiencing a variety of myeloma side effects.
We look forward to meeting as a Florida Myeloma Community!
Audrey introduces the agenda of the event and featured speakers Nancy Brimhall and Todd Foster.
Nancy shares her expertise as a RN.
Todd shows the very useful Patient Solutions tool.
Type your questions in the chat and we will answer them!
Audrey Burton-Bethke
Audrey joined the HealthTree Foundation as the Myeloma Community Program Director in 2020. While not knowing much about myeloma at the start, she has since worked hard to educate herself, empathize and learn from others' experiences. She loves this job. Audrey is passionate about serving others, loves learning, and enjoys a nice mug of hot chocolate no matter the weather.
Todd Foster
Todd Foster is the Director of Digital Patient Engagement at HealthTree. He worked at MD Anderson Cancer Center for 12 years before helping myeloma patient, Jenny Ahlstrom, start up HealthTree. He specializes in patient experience, helping patients understand their options, and becoming decision makers with their care teams. Prior experience includes IT development projects at Intermountain HealthCare and UnitedHealthcare. Todd has a passion for using technology that can help patients have a better life, and along the way, help to further research for a cure.
Nancy Brimhall
I am a caregiver for my husband Wayne who has been under treatment for IgA kappa myeloma for four years. He had known he had MGUS and then smoldering myeloma for over twenty years. He was exposed to formeldahyde and agent orange during his Army service. He has also had a number of other medical challenges including several major surgeries and episodes of pneumonia. I am a retired RN with intensive care, teaching, and home care experience. We have attended numerous seminars on myeloma and keep up with the latest research on options for treatment. Currently Wayne is stable on Darzalex. He has previously had successful treatment with RVD but was unable to tolerate side effects. I have been a coach since the beginning of the program and find this supportive roll very satisfying.