I make my case: Dump multiple myeloma!

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What’s in a name?  Yesterday I wrote this:

So who the heck came-up with the name “multiple myeloma?”  Heck, even dropping the “multiple” part makes more sense.  “Myeloma.”  Not so bad.

But while I was speaking to the Twin Cities Multiple Myeloma Support Group (a bit long, but a clearly descriptive name) Saturday, I suggested we start a petition to rename our cancer.

“I’m tired of trying to explain that I don’t have skin cancer (melanoma) to someone on the street.” I said.  “Let’s start a petition to dump the name, multiple myeloma, and instead substitute the much simpler, more descriptive name, “bone marrow cancer.”

There.  Was that so hard?  Short and simple.  Descriptive and easy to understand.

BONE MARROW CANCER.

I closed my post reminding everyone that this was a “tongue and cheek” look at our cancer’s name.  I’m not really suggesting that we draft a petition and try to change the name.  Multiple myeloma is a medical term, although I still think everyone should drop the “multiple” from the name.

A petition isn’t needed for us to start referring to multiple myeloma in a different way, using a different name.

This is OUR CANCER!  We own it.  So I can call it anything I want!

Let me share some strong, anecdotal and circumstantial evidence, suggesting that “bone marrow cancer” might be a better name.

After I spoke to the Twin Cities support group in Minnesota Saturday morning, I headed to the airport.

I had noticed that my favorite brown dress shoes were scuffed-up a bit when I packed them.  So when a friendly shoe shine guy practically grabbed me in the Minneapolis airport, for once I said “YES!  Sure, I’ll take a shine.”

Nice guy.  And he did a good job, too.  But more importantly, when he wondered out-loud why I was wearing a mask–and I told him I had cancer–he asked “What kind?”

“Bone marrow cancer.” I said

He nodded, knowingly and continued working.  No more questions.  No “OH!  I had an uncle who had skin cancer.”  No explanation needed.

After I got settled-in at home after two long, connecting flights, I googled “bone marrow cancer.”  Multiple myeloma studies popped-up first.  And another site, “Buzzle,” defined bone marrow cancer as:

“Bone marrow cancers are the type that occur in the bone marrow cells that form blood, and these are…“

Guess which one they list first.  Yep,  Multiple myeloma.

I rest my case.

So should I change the name of my blogs from MultipleMyelomaBlog.com and MyelomaNews.com to BoneMarrowCancerBlog.com and BoneMarrowCancerNews.com?

I’ll get back to you on that.

Maybe I would do that, if I wasn’t so bleeping busy taking care of my own, pesky health issues.  You can call it multiple myeloma, myeloma, bone marrow cancer or any four letter word you like.  Any way you slice it, keeping up with the medical side of our cancer takes a lot of blood, sweat, tears and time.  Especially time!

Labs, diagnostics, doctors  visits, infusions and trips to the pharmacy.  And if you are like me–and bone marrow cancer/myeloma has damaged your bones–you also spend a lot of time dealing with associated complications and pain.  The same goes for those of you with kidney issues, right?

It’s like having a part-time job!

Tomorrow, I will give you an update about how I’m feeling–and how my “part-time job” is going.  Let’s just say the report card is mixed.

Feel good and keep smiling!  Pat