[dickbParticipant]

Good news that you are able to embrace life again. Nothing like a dose of MM to help you reassess what is important in life. Your story certainly gives a ray of hope to the rest of us and my wife and I are definately looking forward to our time post stemcell / remission.

Keep it up and make the most of things.

[dickbParticipant]

Sorry to hear about Iains mum, It just adds more distress on top of what you have anyway. This year is nearly over so let's hope next year improves.

[dickbParticipant]

Thank God I joined the RAF! Although the RAF regiment like to do things to extreme.

[dickbParticipant]

So did you make guys hang off the wall bars by their hands only and do press-ups in the mud? Did you make them do cross country followed by a BFT run?

They were great days!

[dickbParticipant]

So you had an adventure but you went and you did it! Was it Julius Ceaser who said " I came, I saw, I conquered. Your journey for you was probably just as awe inspiring as Ceasers. Next time will be easier and I'm sure there will be a next time.

[dickbParticipant]

Despite all your cooking dinner, that really shows Positive Mental Attitude. I think you have a lot to teach us. As many a PTI said to me "work through it, it's only pain" and I think that's possibly what your doing.

[dickbParticipant]

Bump? Bumped the car? Bumped into something? Found a new bump. Bumped off the missus? Is this like charades where you give us clues and we have to guess?

[dickbParticipant]

Although i can't answer your question, I just wanted to wish you luck with this new twist to Ian's recovery. I do hope things don't get any worse although we both know that MM will throw something up just when you start to catch your breath.

[dickbParticipant]

Hi Angela,

I believe you need to encourage Graham to do some exercise now, it doesn't have to be anything strenuous but just little things help. You didn't mention how bad his back is now but if he's capable of doing some walking now than all the better. I am not a fitness fanatic, my job kept me very fit and strong which I see as a blessing because I do not have such severe bone damage and my wife 'encourages' me to do a fitness DVD with her and I walk everywhere, use my push bike when I can and we are fortumate in that we live on the edge of a national park.

We do believe that level of fitness prior to treatment has a bearing on the recovery time. My wife is my PTI, she persuaded me to walk 3 km on the Easter Friday, 6km on the Saturday and 10km on the Easter Monday. I had literally come out of hospital after diagnosis, still recovering from pneumonia and a bout of Diarrhea. So if Graham is prepared to put up with a bit of discomfort then he will reap the benefits.

I have a meeting with the hospital on Tuesday and the Bone biopsy next week so I will keep you informed of my progress. We'll see who makes it to Stemcell first.

[dickbParticipant]

Hi there, hope you don't mind too much having to join us, it's definately not the best place to be but now you're here, hopefully you can get something out of it.

Now, your husband and I are at about the same place. I have just finished Chemo and have a bone biopsy a week on Thursday with a view to progressing to Stemcell harvest before the year is out. Although diagnosis was rapid once in Germany, I was offered a full medical inc. full blood test by my GP here which flagged up MM, I had an adverse reaction to PAD and then to Revlimid which led to severe problems with my liver. Thankfully no such reaction to Velcade, just tingling and pain in my feet.

So we are running almost in parallel, your husband and I. We do have a daughter who is 6 and it is hard but Myoloma UK have produced a wonderful childrens book which she read today explaining what Myeloma is and how it affects people. A bit to young in style of writing for your daughters I think. Anyway, as with you this year has been so bad for us, after we had such high hopes with a move here from the UK. Still 2014 is a new year, let's see if both of us can start with some positive news on the treatment.

[dickbParticipant]

Hi Darren, saw your reply in newcomers, thing is, we were all in the same boat, stress levels go up, anxiety hits new levels. It's all fear of the unknown. Everyone on this site with MM has been there, unfortunately we can't turn the clock back or change direction, we have no choice but to live with it – and you will.

They keep telling me that I am young and able to handle the Chemo and stemcell, that because of my age chances of having a long remission are good. I'm 50 so you being younger should give you theoretically as good a chance if not better a chance than me. It is your wife that you will need to support as well. I am sure she will support you but the carers need help as well because they fear the future as much as the sufferer.

So, scary it is but you are still here, the fear will be controlled once you know more about your situation and the likely treatment. There are plenty here who have gone through it all and have a good remission, there is no reason why you can't join them.

All the best and start thinking of what you want your consultant to tell you, have a list of questions ready and don't be fobbed off. There is a lot of help out there so use it.

[dickbParticipant]

Hi Flitterfly,

Apologies for not replying sooner but I've just read your post, Although we have just the one 6 year old and don't run a business our future has also taken a massive hammering because I was diagnosed with MM just 6 weeks after moving out to Germany, we have no job security, my wife started work Dec. last year, I cannot work, the doctors are very strict about that and I gave up my UK job to come out here, we have our daughter going through big change in her life – new country, new school, new friends so I can empathise how you feel. As for my wife, she is the carer and probably goes through far more than me because whilst I have the medical care, she has nothing. We have shed a lot of tears and both found inner strength, she a lot, me a little. Our motivation is our daughter, I'm 50 and have had the majority of my life, our daughter's life is just beginning. We wanted a better life for ourselves and instead we have a different life. We focus on the good things like the travel, new friends we are making and family. The bad things we address, we don't ignore them but we work to make sure they don't run our lives, case of making sure the tail isn't wragging the dog I suppose. I still try and do positive things like attend language courses for foreigners, I have a little job in an old peoples home, I still ride the bike and do the housework. My wife stays positive because that's her personality and she has had her problems here too. But by setting objectives, arranging trips and things to do at the weekends, it gives us some form of normality, it is us in control, not the MM. Hope I haven't rambled on too much.

Richard

[dickbParticipant]

This might sound silly, but having a haircut can be so good for self esteem. Nothing worse than feeling that you are scruffy and unkempt if you like to take a bit of pride in your appearence.

After my first two hospital stays I was in such a need of a haircut, normally have one every 5 weeks, the previous one was nearly 3 months earlier. Did I feel better afterwards. I suppose it's all about feeling better in yourself and more confident to face the world. Good news about being out and about.

Every little step counts.

[dickbParticipant]

really good news, lets hope it continues.

[dickbParticipant]

Your right about family members, for example the group have organised a 10 Anniversary bash in November, there will be guess speakers from the top hospitals here but they have also said that it is for all family members. We are taking our 6 year old along and there will be other children. I also have to bake a cake so I will do a traditional English sponge of course.

Really, we would be lost in so many ways if it wasn't for the group. Go for it, you have nothing to lose.

[Author]

Posts