Velcade day

Arrived first thing, well just after nine this morning after dropping Charito off at work up the road.

Line flushed and bloods taken to await results to see if I can go ahead with the Velcade. In the meantime I was speaking to Sarah and Dee about my blog (hi guys, your probably reading this now). There now followers of my blog, not that it will we stop me writing about them! I have never had anything bad to say about them anyway, only praise for the way that they deal with all of their patients.

It’s been suggested that I should promote it further for other patients to benefit from my experience, I’m quite happy for anyone to read it and hopefully gain something from it. The only thing I don’t want to do is put people off having any treatment because they may read something on here that gives them a bit of doubt. I know from passed emails I’ve had from some people that it has given them doubts as to their own treatment that they are receiving. The only thing I would say to those is that everyone is different and if I had read my own blog prior to my stem cell treatment, it wouldn’t put me off going for it as it is the first line of defence and has to be tried – if it doesn’t work then there is always something else, such as the PAD I’m on now. The thing with Myeloma is that the treatment is selected to best suit the individual and you may not even have the option of a stem cell for what ever reason.

So if anyone has any ideas how to promote to other patients, feel free to make any suggestions. One idea that James had, was to get some business cards done with my blog address on. I have business cards with my phone numbers and twitter account, but it doesn’t have my blog on it. So maybe I get some some with the blog on just for Cancer patients etc. I don’t mind talking to anyone about it and discussing it with others, so another option maybe to see if Liz (McMillian support) or any of the nurses would like me to talk to anyone on an individual basis about it I’m happy to do that as well. Especially when your first diagnosed and unsure about how things are done and what to expect. Sometimes I think it is better to talk to a patient than a nurse who looks at it from a medical point of view and not necessarily from a patients point of view. Not that they wouldn’t want too, but that they can’t as they don’t have myeloma … although I’m quite happy to swap with any of them if they would like to at any point ;-)

Anyway I got my blood test results back an they are:

HB = 8.4 (dropped again as expected)
Platelets= 76
Neutrophils = 5.9 (Up and really good)

So there mostly as expected, but the Neutrophils was a pleasant surprise. The low blood count means I have to have a couple of units of blood. I was asked if I wanted it today, but that would have meant a long wait etc and I was hoping to get some things done at home this afternoon and as I’m back again at the hospital tomorrow so it made more sense to have it organised for then. Although I was just expecting to have my chemo pump removed tomorrow and was planning an afternoon trip to the hospital it’s now turned out to be an all day event again with bloods in the morning and then get the  pump removed later on the afternoon once it has finished. Not a real problem though as long as I know what I’m doing and where I’m supposed to be. I think James is staying at home tomorrow, rather than getting bored sitting next to me without internet connection. He’s still looking for a computer job somewhere local if anyone knows of any jobs going, he’s sent off lots of CV’s and visited lots of places in Chester yesterday dropping his CV off, so hopefully not too long before he gets a Job.

Red nose day tomorrow and I forgot to ask if the nurses are getting dressed up or doing anything as I was thinking of taking in my camera to take some pictures if they let me. If anyone gets a chance at Chester to read this and knows, let me know.

One last thing that I was discussing with Sarah was the formal letter of compliment  that I submitted a few weeks ago, about the fabulous work that they do and I was wondering if they heard anything as I had not had a reply either. She said she hadn’t … but when I got home what should I have through my door but a letter from Peter Herring the Cheif Executive of the Trust thanking me for my letter and letting me know that he will ensure that my comments are passed on accordingly.

Some special news coming soon, so watch this space!