Possible Change

First the good news:  We enjoyed yet another wonderful holiday in Cyprus.  This will be the last in our holiday home there as, yes, we have finally sold it !  The couple who have bought Villa Berengaria seem as excited as we were 12 years ago and we hope they will be as happy as we have been there.  Inevitably some of our last visit was taken up making sure that everything was in order but that was almost a labour of love.

The house went out of its way to put on a show for us:

Firstly, the lemon tree excelled itself by producing a huge crop.  As the house was still ours at the time, some fruits found their way into an odd gin and tonic, whilst others were "exported" with us to Somerset !

I had pruned the bougainvillea right back to its skeleton last autumn.  As hoped, it responded by putting on a truly magnificent show for us.

That was the good news, so now the perhaps not-so-good news.  To remind you, I have been on maintenance treatment for myeloma since July 2012.  For most of that time I've been in remission. At my latest clinic, my blood tests show a possible (and I stress possible) relapse.  Relapse is inevitable at some time - it's the nature of myeloma.  At each monthly appointment, I have a full blood test which checks such things as my white and red blood counts, my platelet count, and liver and kidney functions.  In addition I receive the results of tests from my previous appointment.  This latter information requires that my samples are sent away for laboratory testing.  There are two main tests:  The first is for paraprotein (secreted from active myeloma).  The second is for free light chains (kappa in my case). Whilst the kappa has remains stable, the paraprotein has risen to a count of 5.  If this is repeated at this appointment's test (I get the result at my next appointment) then I will no longer be considered to be in remission and I will be withdrawn from the trial.

Assuming I relapse, it remains to be seen what happens next.  If tests indicate that the myeloma has again become active then I can expect to initially receive medication.  Precisely what that will be will depend on a number of factors, including my preference.  In the medium term, I would hope to have a second high dose therapy and stem cell transplant.  My last one in 2012 produced an excellent response and I'm certainly fit enough for another.  Most importantly, the development of new medications has revolutionised the treatment of myeloma.

Perhaps the worst part of all this is the waiting.  I attend consultant's clinic every 28th days.  I now must wait until the next visit to discover the test result.  In the meantime, I have "reverted to type" and am actively researching my options.

I take something positive from this.  We have sold Villa Berengaria at exactly the right time.  I had in mind to return to private flying. I will now put that ambition on hold for a while.

Patience is the companion of wisdom

Saint Augustine

Keep well

Stephen

A Spring in my Step

As previously mentioned, I decided to pause adding posts.  The previous one was in January, during what turned out to be a surprisingly (but welcome) benign winter.  We had no snow that settled, and I only had to clear ice from my car on two occasions.

Spring is now truly with us and was first signalled by the primulas.  They seem so fragile and yet survive all manner of abuse.  Those that come up in the lawn (sorry: area of green moss) get mowed and yet reappear time and time again.

And as if to compete, the magnolia has excelled itself this year.

Of course the petals are falling like confetti, as was exemplified when I shook the tree before mowing them up.  I looked almost matrimonial !

Perhaps the most significant event since my last post is that I have completed writing a book about my Uncle Stephen, who was killed in the Second World War and after whom I was named.  With some effort I then succeeded in having it published using a wholly on-line system.  The artwork for the cover is slightly off-centred but I am content.  

The purpose of the book is to create a truly lasting memorial.  It is noteworthy that a web site is not.  I have now submitted copies to the British Library and the five other Legal Deposit libraries so I have achieved my ambition.  Other copies have been sent to the RAF Museum, to my uncle's former school, and to members of my family, Should you be so interested, the book is available through Amazon on Kindle and also as a hardback.  The latter is subject to print-on-demand which may take some time to arrive.

Since last writing, I am pleased to report that my cancer remains in remission with my consultant's expressing their continued satisfaction.

This month's saying comes from something I noticed on the TV and rather sums up my attitude:

Do what you can't

Keep well

Stephen

All Still Good

Happy New Year!

The Christmas holiday passed successfully with a very enjoyable family lunch with both our sons and their wives, our grandson, and a rather cuddly dog!  Soon after there was the usual rush to take down and pack away the decorations.

This week I visited my consultant's clinic and, I'm pleased to say, all is still good.  My paraprotein remains undetectable and my Kappa has fallen a little.  Above all, I feel well.  All I have to do now is keep warm and wait for the spring.

This month's quote then is:

It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver

Mahatma Gandhi

Keep well

Stephen

Hugs !

I attended clinic again this week and I'm pleased to say my results remain good; still no detectable paraprotein and even an improved Kappa reading. Thus, as the end of the year approaches, I'm still in remission.

During my clinic visit I needed to visit the day care unit.  Just for once the ladies who so kindly fed me during my stay on the ward (four years ago) were in their kitchen.  It was wonderful to see them again and to receive such amazing hugs.  I then went to the Trials Pharmacy to collect my medications.  I'm not content to walk through the streets of Bristol with a bag that is labelled "NHS Pharmacy".  It seems to be inviting trouble.  I therefore always repack the contents into my backpack. In so doing, I discovered a Christmas card from the pharmacy team - charming.  I never find my clinic visit a chore and this one was so enjoyable.

Christmas started for Margaret and myself with our customary attendance of Handel's Messiah.  Again, we went to the Colston Hall in Bristol.  We have learnt that, although those held in Cathedrals such as Bristol or Wells can be quite wonderful, we struggle with the cold and draughts!  This year's concert proved to be truly superb; a small but very professional orchestra, an excellent choir, and four wonderful soloists. Yes, we stood for the Alleluia Chorus (a tradition first started by King George II).
Next will be the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College Cambridge.  Over the festive season we will be visited by both our sons, their wives and our grandson; traditional and oh so enjoyable.

I was born "a little while ago" and I recall that in my childhood Christmas trees were always real.

They smelt fantastic but as they dried out they started to drop their needles.  They also became increasingly inflammable.  It is therefore extraordinary that instead of the lights we now have, trees were decorated with real lighted candles.  .


I wonder how we survived !





No quote from me this month.  Instead I wish you a very happy Christmas and a peaceful, prosperous and healthy New Year.

Stephen