[brochoParticipant]

Thankyou everyone it helps a lot not to feel alone The good news this morning is he is awake and talking and has even had a cup of tea!! I know this may not mean any change in the long run but just shows how strong a character he is My mother-in-law stayed with him last night but as he was so much better this morning she has felt able to pop home for a whileto get a bit of rest Just waiting on the hospice nurses now to hear what they can offer The sun is shining too what more can we ask love Bridget x

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Jet thankyou its good to see whats happening out there ! love Bridget x

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Dai I think its a brilliant idea and thankyou for running with it Yes you are worth it and as you say THINK BIG and baby steps will get the job done love Bridget x ps I have no artistic talent but I could be a cloakroom chic !!

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Chrissie sorry I didnt understand at first Oramorph is horrible I cant take it either but it might still be worth asking about alternatives like patches or slow release morphine I have found they are very good at seeking a solution once they realise how miserable pain is making your life Has there been any suggestion of radiotherapy for his back pain? I had some recently and it was very effective Wishing things will get easier for you both very soon love Bridget x

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Chrissie I can understand how hard it must be for you to watch your husband having to go through treatment and there is a time where yhings seem worse But this is usually because they need to hit the caner cells hard to get rid if as many as possible as quickly as possible If he is now going to have Velcade I would think they must be reasonably happy with his response to treatment so far and he may find Velcade easier than CDT Have you spoken to his specialist nurse about your worries? She or he would be the best person to talk to , they can help with better pain relief for a start Perhaps they could arrange for you both to meet a dietitian for help with his appettite , unfortunately CDT does affect appettite and taste so it is hard to enjoy eating sometimes There are supplement drinks and powders to add extra calories to his food though Small portions often throughout the day rather than a big meal can help , in fact I would suggest encourage him to eat anything he fancies even a deep fried mars bar if he wants!!You can phone the helpline on this site for advice too they are so knowledgeable and helpful and very willing to help Dont wait for your next appointment phone the nurse next week and you will feel more confident I am sure Good luck Bridget

[brochoParticipant]

Hi no wonder you are in shock it is devastating to get the diagnosis of cancer and it does take time to sink inBut during these early days of your mums treatment you will begin to come to terms with it as you get more info .Myeloma is a very individual cancer so your mum will probably have several tests and scans to see if there is evidence of bone damage and to measure how many cancerous cells are in her bone marrow This seems to take ages but it is a vital part of treament to get the best for your mum The issue of how your mum will manage is difficult for you but I will say that it is possible to live a normal life with myeloma , different but normal , Talk to your mum and also her specialist nurse to see what help may be avaiailable to support her. As for telling people again I woul ask your mum how she feels and who she wants to tell , she may need time to adjust first Try and take things a day at a time, there is a future for your mum, treatments are better than ever for myeloma now with lots of new drugs being developed all the time The support you will get from all the lovely people on here will get you through it There are sons daughters partners as well as patients Dont hesitate to ask you will get lots of answers from people with first hand experience Sometimes its good just to let off steam and this site is great for that as wellGood luck to your mum and if you feel able to it would be great to hear how she is getting on love Bridget x

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Johnsounds ike you have solved the myster your self but you are so right we all wonder if its the dreaded mm rearing its ugly head !! You could always try playing the piano sorry silly joke love Bridget

[brochoParticipant]

Dear Gina sorry mum is feeling lousy , she must be worn out and you too with worry But at least she is in the best place to get treatment and a couple of days on iv fluids and antibiotics will have her back on form She seems such a lively lady I cant imagine her being down for long Please give her my best wishes and hoping she get well very soon You never moan Gina bless you and if you cant share with us then who? try and get some rest yourself love Bridget x

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Gill hope this rotten bit doesnt last too long for Stephen Make sure you are looking after yourself too and eating your lovely dinners love to you and Stephen Bridget x

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Min good to hear things are better this week and I hope all goes well with the Thalidomide I saw your grandaughters pics on facebook looked like a good party!! Bet she was glad you went love Bridget x

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Vicki welcome you have come to the right place for answers and support on here they are a great bunch!! Great to hear your dad is getting good care it always helps Try and take things one step at a time its such a lot to take in The life expectancy figures are very general and often a bit cautious 60 , isnt old and with all the new treaments on board hopefully he will have many years left Life is different but you do get back some sort of normality before you know it Watch out for side-effects of cdt such as loss of taste , its a bit frustrating but the trick is to eat what you fancy The steroid dexamethasone can make you grumpy sometimes just remember its the drugs and not your dad if he is bad tempered Your dads specialist nurse will be a great help to all of you they are so knowledgable and often easier to get hold of than doctors Radio therapy is so good now it should ease your dads pain quite quickly Tell him not to put up with pain there are lots of pain killers its a case of finding the right one Look forward to hearing how he gets on best wishes Bridget

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Sarah tell him from me its really not bad easiest op I ever had and back on your feet in no time !!!xx

[brochoParticipant]

Morning Sarah definitely a happy day Has Gordons hip gone because of the steroid treatment ? Thats what happened to me , I had a right hip replaced in 2008 , best thing ever the pain just goes and it doesnt take long to recover Mine even survived being thrown down a manhole!!They will make sure there is minimal danger of bleeding but I suppose they have to tell us the worst! Tell Gordon I said go for it!! Have sunny Wednesday love Bridget x

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Shona I think the helpline will be able to put your mind at rest There is often a time when treatment leaves you feeling very poorly but it does get better If mums not eating much try smalll portions of anything she fancies as her taste may be off too Look forward to hearing from you soon love Bridget ps I like madcat just seems rude for ,me to call you it

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Madcat?? Sorry to hear your mum is having problems Its a bit hard to comment really though as the doctors have all the relevant facts Can I suggest you ring the helpline on here they all have medical background and you would be able to tell them everything I have swollen ankles due to water retention but no rash In my case the steroids seem to bring it on Good luck and please tell us your name seemed rude calling you madcat best wishes Bridget

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