A Amyloidosis story

---

I was 35 when I entered the hospital for swollen lymph nodes and swollen pectoral muscle. Little did I know what I was going to find out. At first the doctors that I would lymph cancer and then muscle cancer. So they took biopsy of both and both came back negative.  I ended up in the hospital for 3 months until they final came up with Primary Amyloid, I had worked in the medical field at that time for 10 years as a Respiratory Therapist teaching school to student wanting to be certified in this field. So I thought I know a lot about medical problems but amyloid was something I never heard of. In fact most of the doctors had no idea what to do. Finally a doctor came in and said unless I had chemo therapy I would be dead in 6 months and even chemo might not help. My God I was 35 at the top of my career and very happy.  I did not know what to do. I finally agreed to chemo with some hope that I would live longer then a year. As the months went by and I was still alive I was glad the chemo was working. I was in a hospice for 7 months and when I saw I was still alive I left and came up to finish my chemo. I would drive 3 times a week for 3 hours and received my chemo.  Of course it was difficult but I decided I needed to go back to work.. SO there I was I front of 50 students teaching my class with a baseball cap on. I am not proud of a lot of things I did as I figured I was going to die so who cares? One day I had a dream and my mother was part of it. She told me unless I got myself together I would never be able to be with her again. My Mother passed away when she was 40 and my Dad at 42.. I actually took that dream and thought about it and now I look back and remembering crying. I went to the people  who I had hurt and asked their forgiveness, stopped drinking and drugs. I got on my knees and asked God to forgive me and promised Him I would try harder. I had had a lot of medical problems some due to the amyloid, some due to the effects of chemo and some do just part of getting old. The hardest was the neuropathy, so much pain and discomfort. At times I think I would be better off dead then suffer with this. The worse is in the mornings after maybe sleeping for an hour at a time. I had a pain pump put in 10 years ago which delivers morphine to my spine 24 hours a day. Some relief yes but still a lot of pain. I fell 4 years ago and fractured my neck in 3 places and my back has never been the same. I now get around with a walker and thank God I can still drive. Life has been full of pain and I have learned to accept it and I keep God close to my heart. I am not perfect and I have not had a perfect life but I am so much better with God in my life. I have been very lucky to have been able to chat with some wonderful people on face book.  Their kindness towards me has been a blessing. So that is my story and I just want to add Never give up, Stay positive and trust in God. I pray that God blesses us all and that all of us look forward to a cure someday. We are troops in this battle and someday our children or their children will know we did all we could in our fight against Amyloidosis..