My Story

A year from diagnosis:

Its been nearly a year, since my life was turned upside down. I have left this part of the my Blog unfinished, because up till now I have really been running the race, and while you are running its hard to reflect where you started and where you have ended? I really can say that this chapter is behind, and by the Grace of God, that I will remain in His healing.

When I started this blog, I really tried to capture what I felt where the most important highlights of the road that I have travelled. This page is therefore a summary of me looking back at the last year, contemplating all I have been through. Read the blog for the detail.

From the beginning of 2011, I had a lower back back, which I really noticed in January 2011. We where in Mauritius. Lying on the beach, I watch the guys water skiing. I used to water ski when I was a teenager, and didn't really have a chance to do much of that again. I really wanted to try it out again, and that is what I did. I was amazed that I could still ski, it was like riding a bike, once you know how to do it, you'll never forget. The water was a rough, and while skiing, my back became very sore. It felt like my kidneys where getting sore? I told my wife, Yvette, that there was something wrong. She said that I should get it checked out. But as things go, after a day or so, my back felt much better. So when we retuned home, this was the last thing on my mind.

What was on my mind was the up and coming Sani2c, mountain bike race. For those who don't know, this is a 3 day staged event, of approx. 240km of mountain biking. Really an amazing event, really enjoyable if your fit! During this time, I was training a lot, and felt discomfort in my back, I thought that this was my cycling that was effecting me. So I pushed through, and had a great ride. As the event was in May, I started to ease off cycling during winter. Although continued to train.

We had been planning to build on to our house, and when looking back, I notice that the planning started 4 years prior, so it was something that we had in mind to do for some time. We where able to finalize the design and contractor, and moved out of our house at the end of August. During this time, I had to carry a lot of heavy boxes, and my back really started getting bad. The only thing I could do to relieve the pain was to take my gym belt, and strap it tight around my waist. My back was extremely saw, and soon after we had moved, decided to go to a physic to see there was perhaps a pulled muscle or something.

The Physio worked on my back for about two weeks, and she could not provide any relief, the weird thing was that I had no specific injury that was associated with the pain, it was some thing that come on me gradually. The Physio suggested that I go for x-rays. And so I went for x-rays straight after I had seen her.

After the x-rays had been done, the radiologist brought me their report, "with big eyes", not telling me what was wrong, suggested that I see a orthopedic surgeon, so that I can get authorization to have an MRI. This is what I did, but could only get an appointment a week later. And so I had to wait.

In the mean time, Yvette had an appointment with our GP, and she took my x-rays with, to hear what it was all about.

It was a friday morning, I was at the office and still remember what I was working on when Yvette called. She said that our GP had booked me into hospital, for tests. She also told me that I had a tumor in my spine! So I left the office immediately, to go home to get my bags for the hospital. And driving in the car on the way home, it hit me! I was devastated! From the car I called my buddy, really upset and emotional, and told him what was going on, and asked that he must pray for me. It felt like a death sentence! I really didn't understand what this was? and why?

I was checked into hospital for 4 days, during this time, my doctor who was a Nero surgeon, arranged for all the necessary blood tests, x-rays and MRI's. After 3 days, he confirmed the diagnosis, that I had a plasmacytoma in my spine. My spine was very fragile, and most of my T12 vertebrae had been effected. The doctors recommendation was to operate. Considering all the options, of which there went any. I agreed to proceed with the operation. As it turned out, consisted of two operations. The first removing the T12 vertebrae, from the front, the second being from the back.

The first operation lasted close to 6 hours, I lost something like 4l of blood. The cut was very long from my side all the way up my back. A rib was also removed, which was used in the donor bone, which was fused between the existing vertebrae. After the operation I was in ICU for a couple of days (cant quite remember how long, but it felt like forever!). After ICU, I went into high care and then into the general ward. A week later, I was back in theatre, for the rest of the procedure, where they fused my back. The recovery was quicker than the first operation, except, I was very weak. I started physio, where I had to start walking. The first time I got up, I felt like fainting, after then, it was baby steps. I too a couple of days before I could walk up the stairs.

Back at home, I was booked off for six weeks, for recovery. All this time, I realized that I still had to deal with cancer. Until now, I understood that I had a plasmacytoma, and would need to receive radiation, and perhaps some chemo, and that would be that. Just before I left hospital, they took a bone marrow sample. And while at home the call came through, that I had multiple myeloma. This really was a shock!

In November 2011, I started with chemo therapy, and received Valcade, and after 4 cycles, but Feb 2012, I was clean.

The doctors prepared me for an  auto stem cell transplant, in which they use my own stem cells. I had to go for preparation treatment, which consisted of chemo, and injections. My stems cells where harvested the end of Feb 2012, and two weeks after I was booked in for my stem cell transplant. I was was in hospital for 3 weeks. It went well, although, I didn't feel great. Being in one room for so long, one becomes very weak. I was blessed to have a room with a view of the golf course, this really help me get through this time. After the transplant, I was very week! The doctors said it would take about 3 months to full recover. The recovery was very slow. After 3 months, I went for a full body MRI, and bone marrow biopsy, and after seeing the doc, she confirmed that no residual disease was evident. Praise the Lord!

I now still receive Zometa, a bone strengthener, once a month, and see the doc every 2nd month, to check my status.

This has been a journey, that I still am walking. Thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ for his provision and blessing in my life, also his saving grace! Thanks to my wife, family and friends that have been such a great support in this time!

Six years since diagnosis:
For the last 6 years, my levels of myeloma have been kept in check, however over the 18months we noticed a steady increase in my M-spike, with increased treatment that was not effective, we decided to proceed with a 2nd Stem Cell Transplant, which I'm currently having. My trust is that this would be successful.


Quick links:
First Symptoms
First Operation
Man of Steel
First Visit to Oncologist
First Treatment
Allowed to Drive
Radiation and the Cross
Stem Cell Harvest
And So It Begins
Good News!