Myeloma Treatment (The Battle)

A summary of the whole process I am undergoing.

Weekly Photo Challenge : Evanescent Rainbows

A submission to this week's photo challenge : Evanescent Rainbows are quintessentially evanescent - gone in moments. Life is like that too as I am finding out so it's really important to enjoy the moment as much as you can. Taken from our trip to a Victoria Falls in Zambia back in 2015- the rainbows caused …

Doldrums

It would be fair to say that life is becoming routine. Six weeks after my return to England and three weeks after I was released from hospital there is a new equilibrium.  Life has changed do much in the past month and as the tornado disperses I am now finding myself in a calmer place …

GFR

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is a measure of the effectiveness of the kidney function. The basic job of the kidney is to filter the waste from the blood supply and produce a filtrate which goes on to form urine. The GFR is determined from blood samples which I have taken twice a week. This is …

World Blood Cancer Day

Today is World Blood Cancer Day #wbcd. The content of post comes from the WBCD website - I cannot summarise it any better myself. Diagnosis: blood cancer. Every 35 seconds, someone somewhere in the world receives the shattering news that they have been diagnosed with blood cancer. Many patients are children and young people. What …

Sunday Summary – 28th May (Symptoms)

Three weeks on from my previous Sunday Summary and a chance to take stock of where things are. This is a summary which is a good stopping off point if you are interested but don't want to wade through all my posts. I am now very much out of hospital and undergoing chemotherapy as an outpatient. I …

Twenty Two Years

Today is our twenty second wedding anniversary. We are spending it over 4000 miles apart. The toughest part for both of us has been the trans-continental split in the family. We have been apart for over almost six weeks and will be for almost two months more. The challenge of the Myeloma and its treatments …

Doctor Doctor Playlist

Medical professionals feature a lot in my life at the moment and so in their honour here is another playlist compiled from my iTunes, using key words of medical professionals (doctor, nurse, sister, surgeon). Just a bit of fun for a Saturday afternoon. It's obvious to start with one of my favorite Thompson Twins track. …

Steroids

Part of my treatment for a Myeloma involves the use of a steroid (Dexamethasone). Dexamethasone is a type of corticosteroid called a glucocorticoid. Dexamethasone helps to reduce inflammation and calms an overactive immune system. Dexamethasone mimics the effect of cortisol, a hormone released by the adrenal glands (located on top of the kidneys) that controls …

Better by Far

As I am in the middle of my second bout of Chemotherapy it's time to reflect on where things are. I expected that the chemotherapy would be making me ill. You here scare stories of hair loss and sickness. Maybe that will come, though I am assured hair loss is unlikely with Valcade.  In truth …

Weekly Photo Challenge: Evanescent

A submission to this week's photo challenge : Evanescent Africa, my home for the past 2.5 years. A place which has a strong affinity for me. Mwanza, my home Tanzania my country for this time. Yet soon it will fade into memory. Sadly my Myeloma means I will not return. My last footsteps were actually in …

A bit of birding …

.. and a bit more. When I was in Tanzania I really got into bird watching. The bird life around Lake Victoria is amazingly diverse and I don't imagine I will ever find the same diversity in the UK. Even so, during my recovery I plan to get back into the pastime - a chance …

Outpatient

Today was the start of my second series of Chemotherapy. The first series had been entirely carried out on Waddington Ward, however today was the first time I had done this as an outpatient. The difference being that I first had to attend the doctor's surgery where I had my blood tested for my  INR. …

Work

Today I have done one of the very last things I need to do for my work as a teacher in Mwanza. Something I can do here in Lincoln, to prepare the end of year exams for Year 10.  The only other thing I will need to do is to mark those exams electronically in …

Fellowship

This morning I had the opportunity to attend my church of 26 years St Mary's Bletchley. It was great to be back at a service. I had been there on Friday for Rachel's thanksgiving service, but this was a chance to attend a regular service. As with so much of my weekend it was a …