In July last year, Brenda Drummhad a stem cell transplant as part of her treatment for myeloma
I HADN'T heard of myeloma before being diagnosed with it in January 2007. Myeloma is a form of bone marrow cancer arising from plasma cells, which are normally found in the bone marrow. Plasma cells form part of your immune system.
I was admitted to hospital on January 2nd, 2007 with suspected kidney failure so a diagnosis of cancer had never entered my head. I think it's fair to say that my whole life flashed before me when I was told I had cancer, especially when the doctor told me that there is no cure for what I have.
Every moment of every day the word cancer was in my thoughts and in my mind. I thought I would have to abdicate from my life as I knew it and that I would be defined forever as a sick person.
Initially it was very difficult for me to let go of my life as it was before I was diagnosed. I had a very busy, very active life and to be suddenly told - you are seriously ill and your life as you have lived it is over for the time being - that took a lot of getting used to.
My treatment started immediately and I knew from early on that the plan was to reduce the number of cancer cells, harvest my own stem cells, give me high-dose chemo and then give me a stem cell transplant using my own cells.
Everything went according to plan and on July 9th last year I had my stem cell transplant. The transplant was very straight forward, but I suffered a lot from the effects of the high-dose chemo which are very unpleasant.
Days blurred into one another with little sign of any improvement or relief from the symptoms and it was hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel.
During this time I wasn't able to see my little boy at all because of the risk of infection to me. He used to come on the phone and say "Mammy, do you want to come home to me?" I wanted that more than anything in the world but of course I couldn't and how do you explain that to a three year old?
It was hard for our daughter too because I was admitted to hospital just as her summer holidays from school started and when everyone else was heading off on holidays, she was faced with something very different.
Going through the stem cell transplant was the toughest thing I have ever done in my life. People ask me how I got through it and I put it down to a combination of many different things.
My husband and kids, my extended family, friends and work colleagues were a great support to me. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't get a text, card, call or letter from someone. There were so many people praying for me and willing me on, it was as though I was being carried some of the way.
Of course I owe so much to the medical teams in Tallaght and St James's who helped me through the worst of the treatment. Understanding medical terms can be challenging but knowledge brings confidence so I learned and I continue to learn about the disease and treatments.
My sense of humour helped a lot. There were days when if I didn't laugh I would have had to cry - so I laughed! I also allowed myself off days and I didn't feel pressurised into being positive all of the time or any of the time.
My faith helped me a great deal throughout my illness and continues to do so. The trial I was sent and the journey I have been on through illness has, if anything, made my faith stronger.
I can't remember ever asking "why me?" or thinking "why did I get cancer?".
Why does anyone get cancer? It was important for me to move on from the diagnosis and get straight into the treatment of the illness and I felt that if I was focusing on why me or poor me, that it would stop me from giving all my energies to fighting the disease.
People ask me have I changed and yes, of course I have - physically, emotionally - I am a different person. My attitudes to life and the world around me have changed. I don't sweat over the small stuff in life anymore.
I cherish each day and look forward to the days, weeks, months and years ahead. There are a lot of simple things that I don't take for granted anymore.
My ambitions in life have changed too. My ambitions in life now are to grow old with my husband and to be around for my children as they grow up - to see my little boy starting school, to be there as my daughter makes her confirmation and starts secondary school and to be around to tell them to tidy their rooms and do their homework!
Some of my previous and more frivolous ambitions still stand though - to have my own radio show, to write a book and to visit New York. I am also now involved in myeloma awareness, working with the first ever dedicated myeloma support group in Ireland in Tullamore and hoping to set up another support group.
I am definitely a stronger person than I was before my illness. I feel like I could take on the world and win. But for now I am very happy to be a wife, mum, sister, daughter, friend and colleague.
My disease is managed on an ongoing basis. I attend hospital once a month for review and treatment and I will be on medication for the rest of my life.
The side effects from the medication can be a little unpleasant and sometimes the bone pain associated with the disease is wearing. But I am pretty much back doing all the things I was doing before my transplant. I was able to return to work too and although it's sometimes a bit of a balancing act with hospital appointments, it is working out well.
It's hard to know what the future holds but I am filled with courage and hope as I go about my day-to-day life. I have so much to live for. From time to time as I get on with living I am reminded of a proverb that was sent to me after I was diagnosed.
This proverb is actually displayed in the Galway Clinic and it says: "Health is a crown, worn by those who are sick and seen only by those who are well."
I was very struck by these words because good health is so taken for granted. I am delighted to have my crown of health back - well maybe not a crown, more of a tiara!
Myeloma Awareness Week began last Saturday and runs until June 28th. Two main events will mark the week:
Mater Hospital Information Stand will be situated at St Vincent's Ward in the Mater Hospital from June 21st-28th.
Belfast City Hospital Display Table will be at the haematology outpatient clinic in Belfast City Hospital from 21-28 June. The table will be overseen by research, chemotherapy and myeloma specialist nurses.
For further information e-mail:mymyeloma@gmail.com
Readers who would like to talk about their own health experience, good or bad, can contact this column at healthsupplement@irish-times.ie