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← Return to MGUS diet: Any tips on food to enjoy or prevent progression?
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MGUS diet: Any tips on food to enjoy or prevent progression?
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Sep 13 12:46pm | Replies (147)Comment receiving replies
Husband is the one w MGUS, Plus his degenerative disc disease from. C2-T1 and worsening at T2. I spent 45 yrs doing medical research so while not my area of expertise I do.have the desire & energy to research, read medical.journsl articles, and I do the grocery shopping and 90% of the cooking. He is pretty stubborn about improving his diet
It's been a difficult adjustment. He was an avid snow skier, white water rafting, motorcycle riding then his back became an issue and he was medically retired from.his career in law enforcement about 5 years earlier than he had imagined. So he has depression and grief over what he's lost to add to his physical chronic back pain, and the PN discomfort. We are fortunate he purchased disability insurance (no union as a LEO) and I'm retired military so we have pretty stellar insurance. It's as much a mental health challenge/orientation for gratitude vs despair. It almost destroyed our 45+ yrs marriage and there are times we skate on thin ice. I try to stay as healthy as I can, but I too, at age 70, have my own health issues. Fortunately, I have a great PCP and a great therapist & sons & DILs who, while far away geographically, are huge emotional supports. They would do same for him, but he won't let anyone "in" except to unload his negativity on them.
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Hi Terry,
I’m retired LEO also with smoldering multiple myeloma. I intentionally retired at 55 as we were allowed to go then (who wants an old cop?). We have our unique set of problems, don’t we? But if you’ve been married 45 years, kudos to you! I know who the strong one is in the family!
But MGUS and the progression/fear of progression is not for the faint of heart. ❤️ I’m certain I had undiagnosed MGUS the last five years of my career, I was tired a lot, more than the adrenaline dump fatigue. I truly believe it adds to the struggle, we have abnormal paraproteins filling up our bone marrow, contributing to peripheral neuropathy, and generally stealing our oomph. My MM specialist who ordered my bmb which confirmed I had SMM, not MGUS as the hematologist guessed, said fatigue is common with those who have SMM. I believe it contributes to MGUS fatigue as well altho there’s not proof of this scientifically, just empirically. I’m also a RN, so I’ve done a lot of reading of medical studies, as I’ve learned a lot from groups like this.
I don’t know what to tell you. We are strange, stubborn creatures, us LEOs. Do take care of yourself, if you have spare energy then feed him nutritiously, exercise with him, encourage him to lean on his faith or practice meditation, or similar. Go to his medical appointments so you know what the doctor really said. We underplay everything, as you know. We deny until the last breath in many cases but some of us learn it’s good to get the specific labs done religiously, so we can at least control any progression by catching it early and getting an early jump on treatment.
All the best to you, St Terry!