The Elite Money Saving Society

fairclaire

Afternoon

Thank you to those who wished me well for this morning. It doesn't always come across well on screen, but it's a huge comfort to know people are thinking of you :heart2:

News......some bad and some good.....depending on how you look at things. I did go in there knowing I wasn't coming out with a batman sticker for a clean bill of health

Bad news....My diagnosis is Smouldering Multiple Myeloma.
I won't go into all the nitty gritty of it mostly because I don't fully understand in enough detail myself yet. But in short myeloma is a bone marrow cancer. It's a term I feel in my head I might have seen in the past on documents at work and paid no heed to what it actually was.

The good news is the smouldering part. I thought it might have just been added as a personal description of myself......but no It means that although I have MM it hasn't progressed to a stage where it has damaged any of my major organs or caused significant bone damage. That's good news! My liver and kidneys are working fine, my calcium levels are good, I'm not anaemic and other than 2 very minor lesions on my spine, I have no significant bone damage.

So no heavy duty treatment needed at this stage. I (probably like most people) thought if you blasted any sort of cancer early, it would improve your chances. But apparently with this, there is no merit to having invasive treatments until the disease progresses.

It would seem that the smouldering thing is a bit of a piece of string scenario. No way of second guessing progression. My head isn't in the correct place yet for me to decide if that's good or bad.

So the plan now is for me to see a bone specialist with a view to starting me on some drugs that slow down bone deterioration. Other than that I will be 'actively monitored' which for the foreseeable (assuming the blood tests I had today are ok) means attending the cancer unit every 8 weeks and having blood tests and bone marrow tests if required _pale_

I'm also seeing someone next week to get more detailed information and advice on what to look out for myself.

I guess the only way I can see to be dealing with this is business as usual. I can't sit worrying for what could be months or years that every twinge is bad news. I feel fortunate that this was picked up early and being monitored so closely is re-assuring.
I'm young in terms of the age group that this disease generally affects and other than a few aches and pains I'm otherwise fit and healthy.

Wheres_My_Cashback

Claire1972 wrote: »

Thanks for replies, yes I have had mine next day before since the changeover! Im thinking it was because its a high amount I'm waiting for !

My last two online requests for EVs came through after 1 and 4 days. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to it.

emerald21

Sarahdol75 wrote: »

Morning everyone.

Thinking of SSM, Josie and FC today.

Had some bad news of my own at the weekend, my DS2 best girlfriend, mum took her own life, she was 39, had 2 girls, 12 and 10.

She has been suffering with depression for a while, and her family life has not been great, split up with OH but still living together for the sake of the kids.

I feel so sorry for them, such awful thing to happen to such beautiful girls at a young age.

They have just had a holiday together as a family, and the mum came to see me on the night before she done it, to show me the pictures, she seemed normal, happy, no signs of depression at all, just cant believe it :A

RIP.

Oh that's terrible . Such sad news.

Munqui

Sorry to hear your diagnosis FC.

I think catching this at the smm stage is a positive though.

fairclaire

Munqui wrote: »

Sorry to hear your diagnosis FC.

I think catching this at the smm stage is a positive though.

Yes I do too. Do you know what else I found out today?
There was never a reason for the specific test that highlighted the offending protein to ever have been done in the first place. The consultant's guess is the wrong box on the computerised blood test form was ticked by mistake :eek:

That made me shiver!

savvy_sal

Afternoon all

I've not been on much as trying to stay away from shopping for a bit
It seems a lot of people are going through a rough time.My best wishes to all of them.
FC sorry about your news but hopefully caught early enough to be kept an eye on.I'm glad to see you back posting again.

A little womble from yesterday with a glitch on the 2 for £2 biscuits.

1x McVitie's Penguin Original (8X24.6) £1.69 £1.00 A v T

Trigger is toffee crisp 7 pack showing om msm but not a.com.Bar code 761303276335

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/Shopping/FindProducts.aspx?Query=toffee%20crisp

Tinyshoes

FC I expect you would have rather had that batman sticker but at least now you know what you are facing always half the battle and getting your head around it isn't going to happen overnight, keep busy and don't dwell. Early diagnosis has to be a positive, I wish you all the best. xx

pacifica9

Sarahdol75 wrote: »

Morning everyone.

Thinking of SSM, Josie and FC today.

Had some bad news of my own at the weekend, my DS2 best girlfriend, mum took her own life, she was 39, had 2 girls, 12 and 10.

She has been suffering with depression for a while, and her family life has not been great, split up with OH but still living together for the sake of the kids.

I feel so sorry for them, such awful thing to happen to such beautiful girls at a young age.

They have just had a holiday together as a family, and the mum came to see me on the night before she done it, to show me the pictures, she seemed normal, happy, no signs of depression at all, just cant believe it :A

RIP.

Such sad news.

Good afternoon and hugs to all those in need.

LEJC

FC........ xx

HILLBERN

fairclaire wrote: »

Yes I do too. Do you know what else I found out today?
There was never a reason for the specific test that highlighted the offending protein to ever have been done in the first place. The consultant's guess is the wrong box on the computerised blood test form was ticked by mistake :eek:

That made me shiver!

:eek:Thats spooky- but just as well it was human error

as I said before you come over a very strong willed positive lady that will cross any hurdles to get to where she wants, so as you said business as usual x