Coffee with All4Cure - Mike (2/4)

When I was living in Seattle during my myeloma treatment, I stayed in the Pete Gross House which is a temporary living space for transplant patients. My myeloma was very aggressive, so my treatment plan required a tandem transplant. I needed to have an autologous transplant with my own stem cells and then have an allogeneic transplant using stem cells from a donor. The Pete Gross House is ideal for transplant patients who need to isolate after treatment to keep from getting sick due to their lowered immunity. The apartments are designed so a patient could live in a safer, germ-free building and except for medical appointments, never leave the building. All the people I met there were wonderful. It felt good to be among other Seattle Cancer Care Alliance patients and caretakers who were all fighting against one common enemy. Of course, it was difficult getting to know people who were extremely sick. There are so many factors that determine how a patient’s myeloma affects them and it’s tough to watch your friends hurt. The House wasn't quite like a dorm, most people closed the doors and kept to themselves. I didn't realize how close we all were until I started practicing my banjo in my apartment. It’s not my primary instrument, but I didn't think people could hear me. Turns out, a couple of weeks later, some people said they would stand near the elevators and listen to me play. I started practicing in another room after that!