Hi Ali and Vikki
This infection lark is a nuisance, I'm so grumpy just before the next one rears its ugly head, and sadly I never realise until its on top of me. I'm beginning to see a pattern here, when I do lots and lots of stuff, then rest a bit more – then I seem to pick things up. Had a lovely christmas then a cold, now conjunctivitis and a…[Read more]

Dear Wendy
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you that this is not a relapse, but a blip. I hope that your training for the triathlon can continue uninterrupted. Did you do all this exercise before the myeloma or is this a new hobby?
Love Helen

Dear Keith
Like Eva and Dai I'm really sorry to hear this, I hope CDT offers you some space.
And Dai it's good to hear you are handling the bendamustine well enough to get your writing done.
Love Helen

Hi Ali
A impressive response from a 9 year old, they can be so astute when they want to can't they? I'm on my week off Revlimid and feel much more like eating again, now catching up on the advent calendar and the Christmas chocolate that I couldn't face at Christmas!
One thing I do notice is when I'm about to get an infection, I don't feel like…[Read more]

Dear Paul
Not a club you ever wanted to join but welcome. Do look at Vikki, Chris and most recently Megan's posts about stem cell transplant, they give you lots of information about SCT, in diary format. I had mine 16 months ago and am doing well since. It is a scarey thing to go through, but more about enduring the treatment than anything else…[Read more]

Dear Keith
I'm so sad to hear how fed up you are. What a struggle each and every day must be for you. I do hope they have something else to offer you on Friday and that the pp rise is indeed just a blip. I am thinking about you and hope to hear good results from you so very soon.
Love Helen

Dear Sue
As Ali and Tom have said, get in touch with your Gp and get referred to the nearest hospice, i worked in our local one for a while and a few days of respite was often a godsend to families, especially when pain control was an issue. Even a few days break so you can recharge your batteries could help you both. Sometimes there was a…[Read more]

Hi David
Happy birthday, wishing you many more. I've had cramp a lot over the last few years and nothing I've tried seems to work very well. I now resort to standing barefoot on the coldest floor I can find! This doesn't help when I get cramp in my hands or abdominal muscles however! I will be trying all the above as well.
Love Helen

Hi Ali
Thank you, I like to think we girls scrub up ok when the fancy takes us! We were at a wedding so pushed the boat out a bit, it was so lovely, but way too close to Christmas (22 nd). I hope you and the family had a good time? Less worry this year?
Re the Revlimid, my relationship with food has been poor since starting it. I have lost my…[Read more]

Dear Tom, Ali and Vikki
Thank you, I like the sparkly bit, note to self, add more!
I still don't know why I can't improve the energy but I'm not letting it stop me from doing stuff. I also am celebrating any event going, and Vikki, hopefully we will soon hear of your adventures as Colin recovers and gets the wanderlust bug!
Love Helen

Awww Keith you are welcome, I expect to see you at the info day next year, still supporting others as you have so selflessly done for some time now. Hope the blood transfusion gives you a boost for new year.
Love Helen

Thank you Mavis and Alex, it is certainly a tunnel from which I am beginning to emerge, I dare to hope that I am lucky enough to stay fit for some time now, Still no stamina! It's as though my 6 heavy duty batteries were replaced with one small aa rechargeable! I run out of power so quickly it's annoying!
Wishing you both a prosperous and…[Read more]

Dear Keith
Glad you had a good Christmas, I had an extra guest who was so picky with us it might have been better if she'd stayed somewhere else! But we survived it. Whooping cough now gone, got a cough and cold starting now instead, whoopee!
It's really odd how different each of us react to the drugs and the disease, speaking as one who seems…[Read more]

Dear Gill
I cannot imagine how hard it must be for you, it is these times of festival and tradition which often define who we are, and our shared experience which travels on with our children has created stability and pleasure, despite the rows and grumbles over who does what! I do hope you find some peace, the times of firsts is so difficult.…[Read more]

Dear Graham and Gill
Thank you for your good wishes, I'm up to my eyebrows with Christmas, but hope you both have a peaceful and lovely one albeit in such different circumstances
Love Helen

Hi Val
Good news indeed, I'm hoping you get lots more years, have a good Christmas
Love Helen

Awwww David, drug free Christmas and birthday sounds good, it's funny, I don't know what drug free is like! I have no idea if I'd be better off the Revlimid than I am on it, but I'm not planning on stopping to see, if that makes sense 🙂
Have a good Xmas
Love Helen

Dear Ali, Andy, Sandy ,Helen ( so right – good name:-D ) David, Michelle, Tom, Jo, and Vikki
Thank you all, yesterday and today have been really good days despite the horrible zometa, at last I feel really well.
Ali it is very kind of you, I'm only doing what others did for me to keep me going in the dark hours, do have a lovely Christmas with…[Read more]

Hi Andy
Free coffee!! Well not round here it isn't. V expensive here! And we do want to hear about how you get on, we worry about the ones who go too quiet, it's all about the balance again.
Love Helen

Dear Keith
Really hope you feel better soon and enjoy Christmas, you are so right to emphasise the need to spot things early, it's so easy to let things go ' just a day or 2 ' then have major problems.
Love Helen