Multiple Myeloma or an Autoimmune Disease?

I made an appointment with a hematologist oncologist to discuss the blood results I had done.  Nervous doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt about that appointment.  My mom came with me to the appointment.  When the doctor finally came in, she started with “I’m very happy you came to see me today.”  Ok so there is something there she needs to address I thought. She explained there were abnormal results in my bloodwork.  She said it could be an autoimmune disorder like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.  At this point, I was so relieved.  Thank GOD! I thought. I will take any autoimmune disorder over that multiple myeloma I had been reading about. At least then, I could live more than a few more years. Then it came. She said it would be awfully rare for someone my age BUT that it could be something called multiple myeloma.  As soon as she said that, I burst into tears.  I had been googling it nonstop and I knew deep down that’s what it was. It made it very real to hear those words come out of a doctor’s mouth as even a possibility.  That was the one absolute thing I was hoping it was NOT.  I didn’t hear the rest of what she said.  All I wanted to do was get up and leave the room.  They talk about fight or flight.  In a moment of pure panic, it is very real.  I desperately wanted to leave and be anywhere but there.  The doctor continued with the statistics.  It would be extremely rare for me to have multiple myeloma. It would be a less than a 1% chance.  The disease is typically found in people over the age of 65.  She said I would need additional tests to confirm what it was.  She sent me for more labs. These labs would test specifically for myeloma so we could “rule it out.”  I was referred to another hematologist oncologist but was told they couldn’t get me in for OVER 2 MONTHS.  That was the best they could do.  I couldn’t wait that long.  I HAD to know what was going on. The anxiety, fear, and panic I was experiencing could NOT continue for MONTHS. I was now living in a state of constant panic. Thankfully, Chris had a client who was a surgeon and Chris was convinced his client would know somebody who could see me faster than 2 months.  Thankfully, he was right!  His client got me in with his buddy who was a hematologist oncologist the very next week.  Knowing what I know now, thank GOD he did.  If I had waited that 2 months, my spine would have completely collapsed and I probably would have gone into complete kidney failure, or worse.  I was unknowingly at the end.  Two more months and I would have been done for.  I went to meet with him.  Chris came with me to this appointment. When he came in, he also said he either suspected lupus or multiple myeloma.  They needed bloodwork testing for myeloma and a bone marrow biopsy to confirm.  I already had an appointment for the blood work.  He would schedule a bone marrow biopsy to rule out multiple myeloma.