Dilip Kumar (Myeloma): If I Can Do It, So Can You!

My story is a journey of ten long yearsthe journey of a decade. Ten years ago, the first-ever symptom of cancer altered my life forever. We were holidaying in New Zealand in May 2010 and arrived at Christchurch on 1st June.

It started with numbness in both legs, but I attributed it to the icy-cold weather. The numbness kept increasing with every passing day. I did not feel exhausted, either. But what happened on 3rd June transformed my life forever.

I fell and was unable to get up. A few hours later, the realization began to sink in that it was paraplegia. Without support, I was unable to stand or get up at all. We caught the earliest flight back to Mumbai.

Homecoming:

On 7th June 2010, theMRIshowed plasmacytoma in the Dorsal Spine (D8/D9)region. The neurosurgeon suggested Surgeryto remove the excise from the spine. By the evening, I was admitted to Lilavati Hospital and was operated on 9th June 2010 by Dr Bhojraj.

I was asked for complete bed rest and physiotherapy for the next six months; I was even told that I might never be able to walk correctly. But I fought all odds, and after 28 gruelling months of physiotherapy and exercises, I started walking normally again.

Symptoms of Myeloma:

Some myeloma symptoms include back pain, high creatine levels blood pressure, high calcium, low haemoglobin, low White Blood Cells andPlateletcount. Other symptoms might include frequent fractures, foam in the urine, frequently occurring colds, bone pain, High ESR, and Renal issues.

My Family:

We are a family of six. My wife, Neelu, has been my caregiver and has stood like a rock throughout my bad days. My two sons are in a full-time business, and my daughter-in-law is expecting a baby. Our belovedPETEnzo keeps all of us in splits.

My son married Dr Vrinda, and my best friends Dr Rajesh and Dr Pragya. It is only due to my family's support that I could continue running my loss-making Architectural Consultancy business.