Dancing in the rain
Anyone who thinks that only sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain...
-
-
Recent Posts
Archives
Links
* Myeloma
- Myeloma Beacon : Independent, up-to-date news and information about myeloma, from the USA
- Myeloma blogs : A place to find other myeloma blogs, or even add your own
- Myeloma UK : Supporting people with myeloma and related disorders
- Myeloma XI trial : Information about the clinical trial I was on at the beginning of treatment
- Wendy : Living with Myeloma in remission, in Manchester, UK
Cancer
- Macmillan Cancer Support : Providing practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care
Donating
- Anthony Nolan : A UK charity that registers and matches potential stem cell donors for people with a blood cancer
- Be the Match : National Marrow Donor Programme, in the USA
- Give Blood : If you’re generally healthy and aged 17 or over, do something amazing!
- Nottingham Marrow : A student group recruiting people to the Anthony Nolan stem cell register
- Organ donation : A place to register as a donor – even as a living donor
- Register & Be a Lifesaver : A UK educational programme to raise awareness of blood, stem cell and organ donation
Facebook groups
Tags
- Aciclovir
- allogeneic stem cell transplant
- anniversary
- Anthony Nolan
- antibiotic
- anxiety
- autologous stem cell transplant
- blog
- blogging
- blood count
- blood test
- bone disease
- bone marrow biopsy
- Cancer
- cannula
- cannulation
- chemotherapy
- chimerism
- clinical trial
- confidence
- CPAP
- cycling
- death
- depression
- Dexamethasone
- donor stem cell transpant
- drugs
- dying
- fatigue
- fear
- Fluoxetine
- Graft versus Host Disease
- GvHD
- Haematology
- Hickman line
- immune suppression
- immune system
- immunocompromised
- infection
- insomnia
- Jewish
- kidneys
- Leukaemia
- light chains
- list for living
- living
- Maggies Centre
- Melphalan
- mindfulness
- mini-allo
- myeloma
- Myeloma UK
- Penicillin
- positive attitude
- Prednisolone
- relapse
- remission
- Revlimid
- SCT
- shock
- side effects
- Sleep
- Snoring
- stem cell transplant
- steroids
- suppressed immune system
- T'ai Chi
- total body irradiation
- transplant
- Velcade
- Video
- volunteering
- writing
- x-ray
- Zometa
Category Archives: Emotional health
On being judged
Trigger Warning: This is a rant. There is some mild swearing. I am angry! I have had a rather upsetting little contretemps with a so-called friend… It happened after I posted this on Facebook: “Today will include hair colouring (if I … Continue reading
Posted in Emotional health
Tagged assertiveness, betrayal, Cancer, challenge, empathy, envy, Facebook, frenemy, friendship, funding, judgemental, justification, life-shortening, loyalty, money, NHS, Playback Theatre, politics, privilege, scholarship, support, trust
27 Comments
Strange times
After a few celebratory posts about living, I need to return to the sleep apnoea saga… I know some of you are avidly awaiting the next instalment. However, first, I want to share something strange… Having returned my jet pack-styled … Continue reading
Posted in * Myeloma, Emotional health, Sleep apnoea
Tagged anger, Continuous Positive Airways Pressure, CPAP, fear, patient care, shock, Sleep apnoea, Snoring
13 Comments
A pity party? No, a damn good myeloma party!
A pity party is one “in which you spend your time feeling sorry for yourself and whining endlessly about how crappy your life is.” (as defined by Urban Dictionary). It would be very easy and understandable for any of us … Continue reading
Posted in * Myeloma, Emotional health, Fun, play & adventure
Tagged anger, autologous stem cell transplant, birthday, blog, blogging, Bortezomib, CC Smugglers, celebration, clinical trial, devastation, Disco 2000, fear, fundraising, hospice, Jarvis Cocker, myeloma forum, Myeloma UK, pain, peripheral neuropathy, picnic, pity party, positive attitude, remission, smouldering myeloma, stem cell, stem cell harvest, stem cell transplant, stem cells, support, transplant, treatment, Velcade
8 Comments
Identity shift
On 16 April, I was eleven months post-transplant. That’s almost a year! And what a celebration I’m going to have for my one-year anniversary, on 16 May! But for now, I’m quite content with quietly appreciating how well things are … Continue reading
Posted in * Myeloma, Emotional health
Tagged allogeneic stem cell transplant, anxiety, appetite, back pain, disabled, energy, fatigue, identity, mini-allo, remission, responsibility, stamina, stem cell transplant, stronger, surrender, transplant, trust, Wales, work
13 Comments
Devastated!
Tuesday morning rolled in with a new, faint sense of excitement as finally I was going to my first counselling appointment with Mandy at the Maggies Centre that morning, and that afternoon I would be starting a PTLLS course (Preparing … Continue reading
Posted in * Myeloma, Emotional health
Tagged anger, anxiety, bone marrow biopsy, grief, light chains, Maggies Centre, PTLLS, relapse, remission, shock, unfair
15 Comments
Loss and liberation
The title of this post is inspired by an email conversation I’ve been having with a friend about writing, thoughts and life in general… The initial inspiration came from a comment on her blog: “Give up something. Reflect. See how … Continue reading
Posted in Emotional health
Tagged Cancer, chemotherapy, confidence, hair, stem cell transplant
6 Comments
Surrendering…
A couple of weeks ago I had a week living entirely on my own. Having time alone allows one to think… I thought and I felt a LOT! Here are some of my cogitations… One thing I’ve noticed in my … Continue reading
jet black living... 