Amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is a very mean disease. The very first time I googled it, the article said that it was usually fatal four to eight months after diagnosis. I was naturally devatated. Further reading wasn't quite so grim, but there was really nothing encouraging either. The abnormal protein can collect in most every place-- commonly the heart, kidneys, gut, nerves, bones, throat, brain, esophogus, and skin. There are no "cures" at all. Stem cell transplant and chemo, oral chemo, high dose steroids, a couple of things I have no clue about, and finally, best supportive care are the available treatments. It is very underdiagnosed, especially if kidney involvement isn't one of the first symtoms. It is also very individualized--people don't have the same symptoms, nor do they react the same to the treatments. This is something that I don't want any part of, but it is now my reality.