Great to hear your update Kevin, you are doing good.

Simple rule for visitors is no one visits who have a temperature, coughs and runny noses. Keep a window open to allow some air circulation and don’t stress this.

I am in Inverness and my SCTs were done in Glasgow so a different health board but there was no issues although a lot of driving (6-7 hr round trip)

thanks Mike,     window open good idea,  i probably  would not have done that,     but having worked in the food industry all my life and particularly when Covid hit,  we got  good at working with the rules and SD    always nice to hear from you,  much appreciated for the support,  the family now down under for my sons wedding,  but that is why am getting more home support visits,     a good friend even brought me my favourite bakery product  around,   but i still like a buttery !   Kevin

Hi Vespa

Thanks for your update. It’s reassuring to hear you’re feeling ok, and your SCT will be put in place soon. I’m still at the smouldering myeloma stage but have already been told I’m a good candidate for SCT. I have my consultant appointment later today to discuss my latest blood results, obviously I’m hoping I still don’t need to start treatment, but it’s reassuring to hear others cope ok with the treatment. Hope all continues to go well for you 

Ann 69     your consultant will guide you and probably you get to meet the lead SCT team,   i to be honest did get emotional at that stage  it his me how  serious this was,  but i have to say the treatment  is nothing to fear,      the injections  are painless,          the  pharmacy bag i take home at the course of each treatment  is mainly to manage side effect    and  a few  Steroid tablets   to take before the Daratummab  injection,  and also the next day,      i have to    good luck with your consultant meeting,  i started home treatment the same day i left him,   we left the hospital ( my wife and I )  more upbeat than when we went in       Kevin,        

Hi Ann Ann69 the SCT journey, especially in the lead up can be overwhelming but these SCT teams are at the top of their game so you will be in safe hands.

The SCT process is rather unique so this is why we have a dedicated Stem Cell Transplant support group where folks from all blood cancers (I have a rare Lymphoma) support each other on the SCT rollercoaster.

Thanks for explaining all this. It is definitely reassuring. I’ve managed to go 4 years without the need to start treatment (I put that down to the curcumin I take daily) but I know it will catch up with me at some point. I’m also a carer for my son who has a learning disability, so I’m sure you can understand my concerns that any treatment will inevitably mean I will not be able to care for him as I am able to do at the moment. 

 yes    you will also need to have some help,         a difficult one,    just a question, and please do not answer if you are not comfortable with it,  have you had a bone marrow biopsy before the meeting,  or just blood tests ?  Kevin 

Yes, I had a bone marrow biopsy done when I was first diagnosed, but nothing since. I had a PET scan done last year which showed my bones were ok, but that picked up lung cancer, so I had half my lung removed. That was completely unrelated to MM though. Luckily, I didn’t need any follow up treatment for that, so no chemo or radiotherapy 

wow         good luck Ann    Kevin