Spotlight on Paul Elder

Spotlight on Paul Elder:

Determined to never stop!

October 2022

The newspaper article about Paul in the September 22, 2022 issue of Simcoe.com is entitled, “Wasaga Beach cancer survivor commits himself to 5K Myeloma March.” So, you know that at this date, this is a success story.

Here is my husband Paul Elder’s story and the events of the past 16 months that led him to be the subject of that article.

Paul and I have been married for 57 years, and we’ve been living in Wasaga Beach, Ontario since 2004.

In May of 2021, while playing with our ‘Covid puppy’ at a local dog park, Paul took an awkward fall when he stepped into a hidden hole. He hit his head on the ground and immediately knew that something terrible had occurred. He was surely correct.

Paul had broken his neck. Enter the world of a 24/7 Aspen cervical spine collar and opioids for pain.

But a fall at the park does not cause a fracture to the C1 vertebrae: it takes a dive from a cliff onto a rock below to do this.

Paul training on Wasaga Beach path.

Paul in radiotherapy at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.

After weeks in hospitals, Collingwood, (ON), St. Michael’s in Toronto, and Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie (ON), the diagnosis was made. Multiple myeloma. It had eroded the bone so that surgery was not an option.

Paul entered treatment at RVH, a week

in-hospital with radiation each day. Then, 26 weeks of treatment involving twice-weekly trips over to the Barrie hospital.

In February of 2022, the oncologist proclaimed Paul officially in remission.

Although he continues to wear a soft cervical collar 24/7 to this day, with the cancer in remission, the CT scans have shown some evidence of bone regeneration around the fracture.

Daily treatments 3 weeks out of 4 continue. Paul's medications, after the one week of radiation, have involved chemo (Velcade injections), and ongoing monthly bone builder infusions, weekly Dexamethasone, and daily Revlimid.

We continue to be hopeful for more stability in Paul’s neck. And for continued remission of the myeloma.

Enter the [Multiple] Myeloma March.

Paul made the decision to try to complete this 5K walk, partly as a motivation for himself and partly to raise funds to give back to the outstanding doctors and nurses, and their staffs, who continue to help him through his journey. Special shout-outs go to Dr Jefferson Wilson, a neurosurgeon at St Michael’s in Toronto, and Dr Erica Dimaria, Paul’s oncologist, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie.

February 10, 2022. RVH. You ring the bell and everyone cheers and claps, including patients being treated.

Our group walking the 2022 Multiple Myeloma Walk

in Mississauga

Although Paul was always into athletic endeavours – playing hockey until he was 78, skiing, golfing, and working out at the YMCA three to four times a week – now he finds himself 50 pounds lighter, weakened by months of treatment, with neuropathy in his feet and legs that makes his balance tenuous. Paul uses a walker or a cane for steadiness.

We ran hundreds of charity runs of 5,8K and 10K; now, walking 5K was a question mark.

Some days, Paul was feeling too unsteady or too ill to go out walking. When he could, he trained, adding some distance each time, to the point that he figured he might be able to complete the 5K.

When Paul’s journey with myeloma myeloma began in 2021, one of our sons created a simple blog that I could use to let family and friends know how Paul was progressing. Now, we decided to use it to inform every one of his upcoming 5K challenge. They donated so generously in Paul’s name that we were truly humbled and filled with gratitude.

Warming-up before the 2022 Mississauga Multiple

Myeloma March.

Our other son and his 2 children also registered and accompanied Paul and me at the Mississauga 5K Myeloma March on September 24th.

Yes, Paul completed it all. It took all he had and more, and about a week to recover. We are all so very proud of him!

Me and Paul with our grandson Finley before the March.

Just a few more steps and we’ll be done…

with our son Brad.

Best Fundraiser Award to Paul, who gave it all!

Paul ended up being the top individual fundraiser for the Mississauga March.

Hopefully, the funds raised will help speed up research into better 2nd and 3rd line treatments, and make possible more programs to improve awareness of the disease.

Imagine what a difference it would make if it didn’t take a broken bone to discover the presence of myeloma, if there were markers to indicate the need for a blood test before serious damage could happen?

Live every day: A cure will come. Nothing is impossible.

Ali

To read the Simcoe.com article on Paul, click here.
If you would like to support Paul’s fundraising efforts, it’s not too late. Click here and then on Paul Elder.

Editor’s Note: We hope you enjoy meeting our 2022 Spotlight Stars and your fellow Myeloma Canada community members. The Spotlight section of Myeloma Matters features stories and reflections supplied by members of our community - those living with myeloma, caregivers, healthcare professional - in their words. The views expressed and shared are those of that individual. We recognize that everyone’s journey and experience with myeloma is different.

To all of you who have shared your stories in the past, and those of you who continue to do so today, we are indebted...you are an inspiration.

If you would like to share your experience in a future issue of Myeloma Matters, please contact us at contact@myeloma.ca.

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Myeloma Canada's mission: To improve the lives of Canadians impacted by myeloma through awareness-building, educational efforts, advocacy, fostering an empowered myeloma community and support of clinical research so that a cure may be found.