For years, Crystal Portsmouth tried to explain what her body kept shouting. She lived with painful periods, crushing fatigue, and stubborn anemia. Yet appointment after appointment ended the same way. Doctors linked her symptoms to perimenopause and fibroids. They offered iron tablets. Then they suggested a Mirena coil.

At first, Crystal hoped that plan would steady her life. Instead, she developed repeated urinary tract infections and needed frequent antibiotics. Worse, the heavy bleeding and pain continued. She removed the coil. Then another clinician pointed her toward hormone replacement therapy. Still, no one asked the bigger question.

Everything changed in April 2023, when Crystal collapsed at work. That frightening moment finally triggered deeper testing. Scans and a bone marrow biopsy later revealed the truth. Crystal had myeloma, an incurable blood cancer, all along.

She admits the diagnosis hit like a shockwave. After years of being told it was “just hormones,” she struggled to believe it could be cancer. Still, she moved quickly into treatment. She went through intensive chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. Now, she lives in remission and continues maintenance therapy.

Today, Crystal shares her story to help other women speak up sooner. She urges people to trust patterns, not reassurance. She also reminds us that “normal for your age” should never replace a real investigation when symptoms persist.