[CluckyParticipant]

Ta, big day tomorrow.

luv
Mal & Bruce

[CluckyParticipant]

Had a phone call last night and it's all systems go – we start our training next Tuesday (14th) – no jokes please 🙂

xx

PS It's Bruce's birthday today – he's 64 years old 🙂

[CluckyParticipant]

Ta, Bruce is really pleased but I'm a bit nervous because I'll be doing the needling (Bruce still has tingling hands (and feet) from the thalidomide).

xx

[CluckyParticipant]

Thanks 🙂 🙂

xx

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi all, I've been meaning to bring this up to date for some time now, but don't seem to have had the time.

Bruce had his 'line' removed just after Christmas – his fistula (new plumbing for kidneys is working well).

Then he had a bone marrow biopsy to see how well the stem cell transplant had worked (his third since being diagnosed). We had the result last Thursday – [u]no [/u][u]active myeloma![/u]

We've started going swimming once a week, he'd like to get a bit fitter.

The other bit of good news is, we're going to train for home dialysis. They say it should take about 3 months. NHS supplies the machine, chair, medication – they also pay for water & electric used. Sounds daft, but it is cheaper to give us everything and train us up, than for Bruce to have dialysis at the hospital or unit.

It will make a huge difference to our lives. We've been told as long as he gets his 12 hours of dialysis in a week, we can decide when and for how long (3 x 4hrs or 6 x 2hrs – whatever, it'll be up to us). It means we can have the occasional late night at the pub now and not have to worry about getting to the unit at 7.30am. No more worrying about bad weather or if the car will start etc.

Just waiting for things to be set up at the hospital now, then it's on with our nurses hats.

We are planning to enjoy this lull in the storm as much as possible.

love to everyone, just wanted to share our good news with you all.

Mal & Bruce xx

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi Shirls (like Jo said, hope you pick up soon).

(((Hugs))) from us too.

(Sorry if this appears twice, posted one and it's wandered off).

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi Jo, Bruce saw his own haemo doc on Monday. She said his bloods and neutrophils were good (coming up nicely), but she told him to take it easy and stay away from crowds for a while.

He feels quite well in himself apart from still having the poo's, an achey shoulder and not sleeping very well. Today his GP gave him something a bit stronger for the shoulder and some pills so he can have a good night's sleep.

Yes, we are desperate to get out and play with our friends in the pub, but we are doing as we are told and avoiding crowds. We have been popping round to friends houses for a bit of a 'jam' though, which is a spirit lifter.

While Bruce was in Derriford our friends Skyped from the pub and we were able to join in with the singing. I think some of the pub customers were a bit puzzled by two loonies on a laptop screen singing their heads off. 😀 😀

luv to everyone
Mal & Bruce xx

[CluckyParticipant]

Thank you 🙂 🙂

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi Gill, we had a good chuckle over your post. We've taken your advice and I've shaved his head. Yes the bits are prickly and this morning the pillow cases were covered with more hair than you can imagine, because he didn't have a lot to start with anyway 😀 😀 He's ditched the designer stubble but left a tiny trace of moustache, because he's had one since he was 18 years old (possibly longer) – but I think he will have to let that go too. 😀

It's lovely to be home – we had a good/ok nights sleep in our own bed. The cats wondered who we were for a couple of hours, then we had loads of love from them.

Handed back to the other side of the bridge now, so dialysis at Treliske tomorrow and he has an appointment to see his own myeloma doc on Monday.

love to everyone
Mal & Bruce 😀 😀

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi Bridget & Shirls & everyone else, we went down to dialysis before 9 o'clock and got back to Birch Ward as the doctors were doing their rounds. The doctor said Bruce's levels had all come up to the point where he didn't need to be in protective isolation – and then said he could go home either today or tomorrow depending on how quickly they could sort appointments at Treliske (Truro). I had everything packed within an hour and by teatime they had sorted his medication [u]and[/u] an appointment for dialysis on Friday at Treliske. We were out of there in a blink of an eye and I grabbed a small bottle of champagne from Tesco's on the way home to celebrate.

He's still got the poo's a bit (tablets to sort that)and yes his hair is falling out (grade one tomorrow or possibly a clipper cut). He's got to go back in a couple of months for a check up, but for now we are on a high. 😀 😀

luv Mal & Bruce xx

PS Hope your brother' s feeling a little better now Shirls, and take care of yourself.

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi Shirls and everyone else, yes the Birch Ward team are fantastic. We've just had some good news. We've missed the doctors rounds a couple of times because of going down to Mayflower for dialysis – but today we found out Bruce's neutrophils were 0.3 on Sunday (they were zero last Saturday)…..and today they are 0.9! 😀 😀

He's still got the poo's a bit, but the doctor thinks that might be a side effect from the antibiotics. They've sent another sample off and if that's clear they will stop the antibiotics tomorrow and they are going to give him something to 'firm things up'.

His blood is a bit low, so he's having 2 units of blood today (already started).

He's chomping at the bit to get out and it was difficult not cartwheel round the 'tank' when the doctor said we might be able to go home at the end of the week.

We will keep everyone posted.

love
Mal & Bruce

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi Eve & Slim,
We are desperate to get out of here and play our guitars and have half a cold cider each. We miss our cats. We've been in here 2 weeks now and it feels like 2 years. Can't wait to sleep in our own bed. Think I'm rambling 😀

luv
Mal & Bruce

[CluckyParticipant]

Cottage pie and croissant today – so far, so good.

luv
Mal & Bruce (he says he might try a bit of toast later).

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi Dai, neutrophils were zero yesterday, don't know what they are today, think the blood results for everyone were late coming in.

He's kept his dinner down today (a bit of cottage pie and a croissant – it was what he fancied 😀 ).

luv
Mal & Bruce

[CluckyParticipant]

Hi Jo, he's feeling a bit better this morning. He's just had a 'build up' soup and a yogurt, hopefully this is the day he'll keep them down.

luv Mal & Bruce

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