Hi Ellen, and thanks for the email and apologies for late response. Andy did call the GP and he was of the view that as the boys had already been here and Andy had not shown any symptoms then there was no need for him to take any antibiotics.

It’s always so difficult to know when to avoid contact with friends and family. Andy has been on…[Read more]

Hi Margaret, my husband Andy was diagnosed 16 years ago with myeloma. 4 years ago he was put on lenolidomide and steroids after a relapse. He got cramp in his hands and just worked them more. Very unfortunately he developed diverticulitis and was rushed into hospital for a colostomy. All treatment for myeloma was stopped and he recovered well,…[Read more]

Hello everyone – I have just been catching up on news from everyone. Good news for you Tom! Great!
Well – from us here – Andy has had a rocky few months. He didn't get to the end of his 4th cycle because he was taken into hospital with diverticulitis in October – he had to have an emergency colostomy – so now has ' stoma stan' attached. He is…[Read more]

Hi Nettie – how interesting to read your story! I read it out to Andy and he says the calcium tablets have really helped – in two days! So definitely mention it to your consultant. The week he had off treatment went quite well and managed to keep up his walking and got back into cooking breakfast! Do hope everyone can take heart. Good luck to…[Read more]

Hello everyone. Just thought I would bring you up to date with Andy's news. He is on cycle 4 of rev / dex. and the last month has been calm. He had a couple of days when his temperature went up to 38.4 and we had to go to hospital, but after constant watch over 6 hours and iv antibiotics they sent him home on each occasion. Today he saw the…[Read more]

Dear all, Just thought I would give you update on Andy. He saw consultant today. It has been confirmed that Andy has a broken sternum and fractures to ribs and collar bone – probably all caused from cutting logs in February which also broke his R arm! However, the amazing news is that his paraprotein levels have dropped remarkably. The dr seems…[Read more]

Hello everyone, and particularly Vicki and Colin – hang on in there. MM can be lived with. When Andy was first diagnosed we were all a bit doom and gloom, but we steadily learned to deal with the monthly blood tests – and the unit was very supportive. When he went in for his first STC they didn't make it sound frightening, taking it step by step…[Read more]

Hello everyone, Just thought I would share with you that Andy was successful with the application for attendance allowance! He is to get the higher rate which works out at £309 per month and means I can go down to 4 days work. We can't believe how quickly the decision was made, but have to put it down to the incredible help we had from my brother…[Read more]

Hello everyone, Been a bit of a busy couple of weeks and don't know where the time has gone.
Just to straighten things – it's Andy who has MM, not me. He is on 10mg revlimid and 20mg dex – on 21 day cycle. He had the one hiccup with the chest infection which required him to go into hospital,and is now on a week's break.
He gets very tired and…[Read more]

Dear John and Rita,

Hope you by now have got through week 1 on revlimid and dex – and good luck. We are into week 3. Unfortunately what we thought was a broken / fractured sternum turned out to be a very bad chest infection which caused him so much pain. The consultant had prescribed Oramorph on tuesday but it didn't touch the pain, in fact…[Read more]

Hi Liz and Kev,

Andy broke his arm in February using a chainsaw to cut wood for next winter! He had to have it pinned and then had radiotherapy – at his last xray it was 90per cent healed. They haven't mentioned radiotherapy on his sternum, but then again the xray wasn't presented to the consultant before we left hospital. He has another…[Read more]

Dear Dai and TMC – I welcome your views. My brother – who has prostate cancer – has posted forms to me and told me his neighbour can help filling them all out because that is her job! He has advised that we should get a letter from the consultant, which will make the claim easier to get through the system. Andy has felt quite well today – he…[Read more]

Dear Eve, You are quite right of course! Before yesterday it never crossed either of our minds to see if we could get help from the State – We always considered we would have to look after ourselves. I think it's a generation thing – don't rely on anyone else!

Thank you for your candid message. I am on to it!
Pennie

Hi Vicky and Colin,

Thankyou for the encouraging news on revlimid. We think Andy broke his sternum last week mowing the lawn so he has been in quite a lot of pain. An xray was taken yesterday, although I have no idea what treatment can be given! I am very lucky, he never complains, I just notice the pain twitch, particularly getting out of the…[Read more]

Thank you Tom. I know I am going to find this discussion forum of benefit, and I've only been at it 2 days! We have dealt with the last 12 years, "in house". Andy keeps quiet with his worries, not wanting to be a burden. I just want to keep him safe. what a rollercoaster! We are fortunately blessed with wonderful family and friends who are always…[Read more]

Dear Bev, how interesting! I shall make enquiries. I am 59 (60 in November. I hadn't thought about Att Allowance/Carer = I have always worked full time and my employer has been very accommodating. However today I have been totally distracted and couldn't wait to get home. The thought of losing him is overbearing.
My brother was a social worker…[Read more]

Hi Keith, how good to get such a swift reply, thanks. I have read it out to Andy, but not the first four are hardest bit! You are of course right about being around and I have had a positive email from work. We just don't want to add financial concerns to the emotional ones. Do hope you continue to do well. We have been most impressed with the…[Read more]

Dear Beverly, My husband Andy was diagnosed with the smouldering variety in May 2000. He then had his first treatment in 2002 and has been doing really well. Over the years there has been such remarkable research into myeloma and new treatments have emerged – velcade and now revlimid. We made the conscious decision to get on with things as normal…[Read more]