[WillisboyParticipant]

David,

I wish you all the best for your treatment in the coming months.

My Myeloma is in relapse too (diagnosed 2013 sct same year) I start on the Myeloma XII trial tomorrow with a second sct after this.

Please keep us posted.

God bless

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Noel,

Treatments are getting better all of the time.

My Myeloma was described as aggressive, I was diagnosed in March 2013. Received the SCT November 2013. Returned to work (part time) in June 2014 and will return to full hours in January.

Keep being positive and remember those still in remission after 21 years.

All the best

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

John,

Enjoy your TV!

I am sure you will be around for many years to come. Thibk positive at all times.

I was diagnosed March 2013, SCT November 2013, returned to work (part time) June 2014 and will return to full time work in the New Year.
I am feeling fine.

All the best

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Hello everyone,

Sorry I have not been around for a long time. How the time flies.
Over a year since my SCT and everything is going really well. I am in remission, the Doctor called it a plateau.

I returned to work albeit on a part time basis in June. I shall return to full time hours in January.
I see my Doctor again on Tuesday who I see every three months. I receive my pomidronate every month which I shall have for life (keeps the calcium in the bones).

Hope you are all feeling better.

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Nick,

I too wish you all the best with persuading your Mother to start the treatment.
I was diagnosed with Myeloma at the age of 50 in March 2013. It did cause some bone damage and was described as aggressive as it was spreading. One Doctor told me that if I had been 65 then I probably would not have made it.

But treatment for Myeloma is improving all of the time. I am now in remission and am back at work, albeit with lighter duties and fewer hours. I am feeling good at the moment.

So yes, I would recommend that your Mother should accept the treatment and enjoy more years with you and the family.
Better the treatment than the illness.

All the best!
God bless

Graham B.

[WillisboyParticipant]

I have just returned to work after 16 months off with Myeloma. I am in remission.
I am 52 years old and I too plan to have many good years ahead of me.
My advice is to be positive, lead as healthy lifestyle as possible and come to sites such as this for advice.
As a previous post has said, be aware of some sites as their information is out of date and therefore misleading.
The treatments are getting better all of the time and there is even talk of a cure for Myeloma although that has to go through all the motions so is a little way around the corner.
But the outlook is very bright.

All the best.

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Sarah,

I am very sorry to hear of your husband being diagnosed with MM, especially at such a young age.

I was diagnosed last March at the age of 50, and that is considered young for MM.

My advice is to remain positive and plan for the future. I vowed to remain positive throughout mine, which I have apart from a few low periods.

Just believe!

I am now in remission, have had my SCT and am now recovering from this.

Keep us posted and all the best to your husband.

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Emma,

I am doing very well thank you.

I had a Autologous stem cell transplant, using my own stem cells.

This was the one I was told was the best for me so this was the way I went.

So far, at least, it has been successful.

In the early days the other was mentioned but my Doctor decided early on to take the Autologous way.

I know little of the Allogeneic transplant, which takes stem cells from another person, such as a sibling or relative. This method isn’t used as often.

Do ask others on this site who may be able to advise you better than I can.

All the very best for you and your treatment. Please keep us all updated.

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Dear Izzie,

Happy New Year!

When I was diagnosed in March 2013, I too started positive! I have remained so for the most part but there are times when my head would start to go down.
It gets harder as time goes by.

Just keep believing and working on it and you will always pick up again. I have been down that route myself.

Don’t bottle things up either – follow the advice of Pauline and Megan.

Now, I look forward to remission, to returning to work and to returning to a more active life. These things help me to remain positive.

Keep us updated and all the best in 2014.

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Maureen and Ian,

Hope you had a good Christmas and that the New Year will be good for the both of you.

Please keep us updated.

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Thank you everyone!

I am progressing okay. I still get little infections, I have had one for the last four days but am better today.

I stopped taking the Morphine Sulphate tablets (pain killers) but my back is starting to ache again so I may have to go back on those.

I next see my Doctor at the hospital on 7th January 2014.

Hope you are all doing well.

Have a very Happy New year!

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Everyone,

I was admitted to the QE Birmingham on the evening 11th November, had the picc line fitted the next day.
Then the chemo before the stem cell transplant.

I was discharged on 26th November. The Doctors tell me that everything is going really well. My blood counts are picking up.

I suffered sickness, fatigue etc and now my hair is falling out but today (28th Nov) I have felt better.

So, so far so good and hopefully it will continue that way.
It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

SAB, when your husband comes to have his sct, your hospital will give you a booklet which will give you the advice you seek, about his hospital stay and what to do once he comes home.
You can always ask your hospital for information.
All the best!

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Everyone,

I have not been working since I was diagnosed back in March.

I am lucky because my employer has been supporting me. The company continued to pay me until September, when my SSP also ran out.

He has kept my job for me. I wrote to him recently to say that I would not be able to do anything physical, especially heavy physical work and lifting.
My neurologist told me that. My job is physical.

I spoke to my manager on the phone. He has still kept my job for me, he understands the situation and has told me not to worry at all.
He says that when I am ready to return to work, we will sit down and discuss it and see what we can do.

I am grateful that my manager has been so good with me.

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Phil,

Thank you very much for this post.

I have no holidays planned at this time but I was discussing this subject of travel insurance with my wife the other day, anticipating problems I may have in the future.

Yes, this info could be very useful.
Thank you for sharing this.

God bless you

Graham

[WillisboyParticipant]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I enjoyed reading every one.
I shall of course keep you posted on what goes on.

I had my stem cell Harvest on Monday and Tuesday at, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. I had it over two days. Oh, having to remain seated for four and a half hours on Monday and six hours on the Tuesday.
They got enough stem cells for one transplant. The Doctor there hoped to get enough for two if possible but one will do.

Carol, I thought I was the healthiest in Stafford, thinking, I shall outlive everyone! Maybe reach 100 years – then I am diagnosed with Myeloma a month or two later!

I have two lesions in the spine, others in the ribs. I have lost four inches in height and bought a cushion type thing for my car seat to lift me up a few inches so that I can see over the steering wheel properly!
At 51 years I shan't worry too much about my height – 5ft 3ins instead of my 5ft 7ins.

Thank you again for your replies and for sharing your experiences with me.

Future posts in General or other suitable posting places.

Good luck to all of you for the future.

God bless you

Love and best wishes

Graham

[Author]

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