Too Young

For the second time in three months I have attended the funeral of a friend who has died of cancer. Another peer (a year younger than me) who succumbed to this dreadful illness.Pete was externally positive and always thinking of others. Today's funeral was as much celebration as anything else. The church was packed and [...]

Free

I'm free. I have no scheduled appointments at hospital for many weeks ahead. 😃 Today I met with my consultant who does not need to see me again until October, after my Stem Cell transplantation has taken place. That leaves only my scheduled stem cell harvesting in late August and the transplantation in early October.  [...]

Next Steps

Today I went to Nottingham. This important visit was to meet with the medical team at Nottingham City Hospital who are overseeing the next phase of my treatment. That being the production, extraction and reinsertion of my stem cells back into my body either side of some intensive chemotherapy to destroy the remaining Myeloma cells. [...]

Last Valcade

This morning I have reached a milestone. I am here at Ingham Suite for my last Valcade Injection. This is the chemotherapy drug which I have been taking twice a week for the past three months. For once I didn't need to have my bloods done, this has quickened the whole process.  Monday's trip to [...]

Dental Decay Dilemma

I'm here at the dentist. As if I didn't spend enough time with the medical profession these days. It's hard to believe that I only used to visit the doctor once a year at best for Hay Fever prescriptions. I'm here for a check up, but in reality I'm joining the dentist as I gave [...]

Hb, WBC, Plts & Neuts?

Each Tuesday and Friday they take blood. This is sent to Haematology for testing ahead of my Valcade injections.  The values obtained determine the dose of Valcade, though in practice they work in arrears i.e. Today's Valcade relies on Tuesday's results. What are they measuring? My booklet records 4 values denoted Hb, WBC, Plts and [...]

Last Cycle

I can confirm that I have begun my last cycle.

Progress

Today I have met with my consultant. We meet every three weeks at the end of a chemotherapy cycle. A chance to touch base and reflect on progress. I have just completed my third cycle of chemotherapy and so approximately half way through the process or so I believed. It turns out that I have [...]

Day of Rest

In the English vernacular" I'm knackered". After three days out of the last four days on the road I'm exhausted. A sign of my illness no doubt as well as the variable sleep patterns over the weekend. I had enough energy to walk to the doctor for my weekly INR this morning  where my blood [...]

Out of Routine

It's nice to get away. To break the shackles of the chemotherapy weeks. The biweekly trips to clinic 7 and Ingham award which force me to be in Lincoln. Every third week is a week off - it's a small respite as Instill need to visit my consultant on Thursday but it frees up the [...]

Dawn Chorus

The blackbird chirps away behind my window. Gladly greeting the morning. Regret not taking the sleeping tablet. It's been a steroid sleep. Wakeful hours. Toilet trips. Soon the midsummer sun will rise. A new day. An Abingdon day. Here to celebrate. A birthday. Nineteen Years on. Happy Birthday Son!

New Routine….Same Wait

Chemo routine subtly changed. Still Tuesdays and  Fridays Still Bloods to be taken Still Valcade to inject Same observations. Same Questions  Numbness? Hearing? Walking? Buttons? Location changed Clinic 7 to Ingham Fast through Clinic 7 Same long wait at Ingham Staff down  Nurses short Pharmacy slow Some things don't change. Waiting.

Sweet Dreams

I have a new ally in the fight against sleeplessness. Following several weeks of disrupted sleep I have got prescribed some sleeping tablets. So welcome on board a new drug to be taken as and when necessary. The drug is Zoplicone.  The drug has the advantage of helping me to sleep without leaving me drowsy [...]

Pins & Needles

As the chemotherapy treatment progresses there are signs of some of the side effects becoming manifest. One of these is Peripheral Neuropathy. This term describes damage to the nerves in the hands, feet, arms and legs and is both a symptom of Myeloma and it's treatment with Valcade (Bortezomib) and other chemotherapy drugs such as [...]

Aches and Pains

It is the end of my second cycle of chemotherapy and I enter into my chemo free week. This brings mixed blessings - firstly there are no steroids to take so that I shall hopefully be able to get better sleep as the week wears on. There are no Valcade injections so less trips to [...]