The Sun Smiled !

What ? you might ask, does this month's post title mean. Well, at 9:26 am here in the West Country, we were able to experience the partial eclipse of the sun: and it smiled.

We had an amusing time messing around with pin hole cards and a colander but by far the best device was manufactured in 1943.

A couple of years ago, a neighbour gave me this Mark IXA Bubble Sextant. These were used by RAF navigators to take celestial shots (sun, moon and stars). As such it has a series of 7 sun filters which can be selected. Here then was the ideal device to experience this wonderful event.

Earlier this week I attended my monthly clinic and again my paraprotein was undetectable. My kappa continues to bounce around at about 27 and my consultant says this is very much due to the accuracy/variability of the test itself. It seems that when first tested my kappa was in excess of 800 !

I have much to be thankful for.

There are things around, and I know where they can be got quite easily,

but I quite like waking up to the sunshine.

(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)

Keep well and YOLO

Stephen

A Dilemma

I attended clinic this week and, again, all was good news. My paraprotein remains undetectable and my consultant continues to be very happy with my progress.

You may recall that I was discharged from the ward after High Dose Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant in July 2012. It was not until two years later that my paraprotein had finally become undetectable. I've now just been prescribed maintenance cycle number 31. I continue to feel really well.

You may also recall that I have previously commented that we rarely recognise our good health, only noting when we feel unwell. This brings me to another such thought:  Only exceptionally do we consider our life expectancy. I don’t recall ever considering the potential to be “run over by a bus”. The more responsible amongst us perhaps ensure that we have a Will but that is as far as such thoughts typically go.

Discussion about cancer, of course, often includes a prediction of life expectancy – a prognosis. Probably in common with other myeloma patients I reacted to my prognosis by initially thinking very short term. As my treatment has progressed, and for the most part subconsciously, I have begun to think longer term. It is worth mentioning that, having received an initial prognosis from my consultant at the time, I also sought predictions from the internet. Dangerous. Some of the information I found was out of date and inaccurate. Even that published by Macmillan referred to data which itself was out of date. Cancer research has recently published survival data but even that requires some interpretation. Nobody can blame cancer patients from trying to understand their condition though.

My dilemma (and one that I wholeheartedly welcome) is, given my current remission, how far ahead should I plan? To what extent should I invest in my future? Having been appointed to be a JP is just one sign that I have planned for a future. Another is pursuing my passion for flying. I’m aware of some myeloma patients who suffer badly. Others, though, have already survived and enjoyed an extended life. I’m glad to have this dilemma! 

If you love life, don't waste time,

for time is what life is made up of.

Bruce Lee

You will note that I have routinely ended my posts with the expression KBO. Well I've found a new one which those who text will probably be aware of. So....

Keep well and YOLO

Stephen

Happy New Year

I've very little to report this month !

Christmas proved to be most enjoyable with visits from both our sons, their partners, and of course our grandson. No sooner than the festive holiday had arrived that it was time to dismantle the decorations and pack them away until needed again.

Enough waffle!

I visited my consultant this week and, again, my paraprotein was undetectable. My kappa reading was again slightly raised but I was assured that the numbers were so low as to be of no consequence. I'm thus still fit and well and ready to get on with 2015.

With that in mind I now must look for a suitable saying:

It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease

than to know what sort of disease a person has.    (Hippocrates)

Keep healthy and KBO

Stephen

Firstly, a very happy Christmas.

Secondly, I attended routine consultant's clinic on the Tuesday before Christmas and, again, my blood tests were good. Accordingly I was prescribed medication for my next cycle. This is cycle number 29 ! Excellent.

I continue to feel well and Margaret and I managed two concerts during the last month; both at the Colston Hall in Bristol. The first was Elgar's Dream of Gerontius; a truly inspirational work which was beautifully performed. The second concert  was Handel's Messiah performed by the Bristol Choral Society. Utterly faultless and  really got us into the Christmas mood. We are now booked to see the world-famous War Horse which will shortly be coming to Bristol. Good health certainly allows me to derive so much enjoyment from these events.

This is a short post with only two intentions: to update details of my health (which is excellent) and to wish everyone a very happy, and healthy, new year.

We recognise pain but we rarely acknowledge being pain-free

Keep well and KBO

Stephen