redharbor23 said:It doesn't really matter—honestly, it's all the same. Don't let it throw you off. 😉 Everything is detailed in the link I shared. To put it simply—plasma cells produce proteins known as immunoglobulins (specifically types like IgG, IgD, IgE, and IgA), which serve as our body's primary defense mechanism. In cases of myeloma, these plasma cells become dysfunctional; they pump out massive amounts of non-functional immunoglobulins. What does that mean for Mom? It means her immunity is compromised, leaving her much more vulnerable to infections. On top of that, these same faulty plasma cells settle in the bones and essentially eat away at them. This leads to pain and necessitates extra caution when she moves—we have to be careful not to trigger a fracture in the spots where the cells have already caused damage.
When they move toward a transplant—well, that’s usually a good sign. 👍 So, she’s officially in remission after the chemo. A transplant functions similarly to chemotherapy—it just offers more lasting results and significantly improves one's quality of life. The only complication is the spinal involvement—dealing with the spinal cord and nerves can be quite a mess.
I don’t mean to alarm you—though I won't sugarcoat things either—but you and your mother are facing a long road ahead. It's going to be a heavy lift, both mentally and physically, not to mention the financial strain. This kind of illness simply doesn't allow for anything less. You'll need an immense amount of patience, willpower, and optimism—mostly because that's about all we can control in these situations. Keeping you in my thoughts. Good luck. 👍
Thank you so much. My mother has never dealt with anything like this before—this whole discovery was a massive shock to our entire family. Best regards.