How it started

It all began with my annual checkup in January 2008. My physician said "oh, you are a little anaemic and there are some funny proteins in your blood, let's see you again in six months". At this point I felt no symptoms, although I bruised rather easily.

I didn't think any more about it. In seven months I had to call the office for a prescription repeat and the nurse reminded me about the follow-up appointment. So I went in and my doctor mentioned that my anaemia was not iron deficiency related and he ordered more blood work. Again I gave it no more thought.

In mid August his nurse phoned and left a message that I had an appointment with a hematologist, in a few days. This was a bit more alarming, but again, I wasn't going to worry. I brushed off my husband's concerns, and went to the appointment alone.

Then I found that my appointment was actually in the Oncology Clinic. Hmmm, I wished I hadn't come alone now. As I was shown into an examining room, there seemed to be a lot of nurses around. The oncologist said, "We'd like to do a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration today". I said: WHAT?

He said we could wait a week for the idea to be comfortable but we are going to have to do it anyway, so it's up to you.

OK, excruciating pain now or wait in nervous dread to have excruciating pain next week. No brainer for me, I took the pain now. It was not as bad as I had feared, although the nurse did have to hold my hand throughout the procedure. They took more blood and the doctor set my next appointment for September 26 and it was over.

One week later they called and asked me to have a Chest X-ray and an Ultrasound at my local hospital. As I was about to go away for several weeks, I asked if it could be postponed. No, I was told, it was very important that I have these tests, and they would see if they could schedule them before my trip. No mean feat with the Ontario medical system, but they got me scheduled on the very morning of my departure.