Light the Night Walk

My mom was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2008.  She started treatment shortly after she received her diagnosis, and had a stem cell transplant in October of 2009.  My sister and I were fortunate enough to be able to be there with her during this process.  It was so incredible to be able to give back to her by "mom-ing" her for a change.

She achieved good results from her transplant, and began to rebuild her immune system...and her hair.  The entire time she was going through treatment, my mom maintained the most positive attitude.  Even now, I'm in awe of how she always managed to look past the treatment and the "hard" stuff, and could just focus on how it would be once her life (and body) were back on track.

Three years later, we noticed her numbers started to decline or elevate depending on which numbers we were looking at.  Either way, they were going in the opposite direction of where they needed to be, and we knew that meant another round of treatment.  Even though she had great success with the transplant, she wanted to try something less invasive to her body and her life.

This year, she began doing injections of another kind of chemo, one that has minimal side effects, and it's been going really well.  Her numbers are back within normal limits, and she's feeling great.  She's still active and hasn't felt any of the potential side effects.  I'm so happy for her.

From the time of her diagnosis, the people she works with have been incredibly supportive; setting up a meal schedule for my sister and myself (my mom had absolutely no appetite the first time around), sending cards, coming to visit when she felt up to it, and never letting her forget that they had her back.  When she started treatment again this year, they showed up.  They never let her feel like she was alone.

In fact, they started doing the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk in her honor.  They raised money for team Re:Joyce, a team name that is entirely appropriate since it was the subject of many an email inquiring about my mother and her progress.  Re:Joyce has participated in several events and even been represented in other regions of the United States.

This year, my boys and I were able to attend the event.  It was on a Sunday, so we didn't get to stay for the entire thing, but I know it meant a lot to my mom to have us there.  To walk around, seeing the different groups of people who have been touched in some way by one of these diseases is heartbreaking but also encouraging.

It's not a cancer group that gets a lot of attention...but there are advances in progress all the time.  I'm grateful that there is a seemingly constant feed of new information, because I'm anxiously awaiting a cure.  Multiple Myeloma is even less common, but there is still progress.  In the 90s, the 5 year survival rate was around 12%.  In 2012, it's around 40%.  That's huge progress! 

I know my mom is bummed that she relapsed so shortly after finishing her treatment.  Multiple Myeloma never fully goes away; it just lies dormant and (for lack of a better word) festers or smolders until it's ready to attack again.  Although my mom is responding really well to this line of treatment, it may not pack as much of a punch if she tries it again next time...and the sad thing is, until more progress is made, there will always be a "next time."  She doesn't let it get her down though.  Her positivity is a source of strength to all that know her.

I'm so proud of her and the courage that it takes to fight a disease that never gives up.  I pray that nobody else has to battle this disease, and if they do, it is short-lived because a cure has been developed.  As for my mom, she will keep fighting, and our family will be there right alongside her...because that's what families do.

Aubs

 My mom, N, my grandmother, B, and me at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk in Dallas October 28.  It was such a great experience...I can't wait to get more involved next year!