I was diagnosed in February of 2001 at the age of 52.  I had been experiencing some morning nausea and weight loss during the previous six months and attributed both to a set of challenging life circumstances.  Being a single mother of a young boy, working full-time in a demanding job and caring for my elderly parents who temporarily moved in with me to address some of their individual medical needs seemed explanation enough for why I wasn’t feeling myself.  But when I fainted on the job and found myself in the ER, I had a feeling something more significant was happening...