Velcade Cycle 5, Day One

Yes, really.

FL's side effects only warrant "Grade One" on the scale of severity, and therefore do not entitle him to a reprieve. The Consultant wants to go for one, and possibly two more Cycles of Velcade / Dexamethasone (each of three weeks' duration.)

For the first time in well over a year (maybe nearer two) he was given a proper, thorough physical examination - chest, reflexes, leg strength, and most amusingly the "tickle" test to his feet and legs. Heh heh. Just as well he put on clean socks this morning.

In terms of "numbers", his Kappa chains are down to 12.7, and differ from his Lamda by only 2.5 - and this Consultant measures the difference between the two numbers, not the ratio. She wants to continue his treatment to see if he has reached a plateau or if the Myeloma can be pushed even lower.

FL is very much stressed by this decision. But he wants to trust the doctor. I DO trust this lady - she was so thorough and gentle and reassuring. She was very clear that constipation is entirely manageable and he should take action the instant he thinks he may have a problem, instead of waiting to be "bunged up" entirely. She reckons his cough is on its way out.

Meantime... still no school bus due to the snow, so FL drove the kids to school before we went to the hospital, and will pick them up tonight before collecting me from work. IMO, it is too much driving around and he is going to wear himself out, but his own car is still stuck at the house end of our track and he wants to be able to get out while I am at work.

And today he woke up with the bright idea that we should move house in the spring. Errr, right. Anyone want to buy a dilapidated farmhouse with leaky walls, windy windows, a stoat in the roof space, a pond in the bedroom when it rains, and the tendency to be cut off if it snows?! I cannot even begin to contemplate the amount of stress that a house move would bring. He doesn't seem to realise that anyone buying this place would be buying it for the land and would probably demolish the house and start again. And I don't want to move to the town where the kids are at school, thank you very much. I want to see them both through school and then I am off to somewhere equally remote but better-maintained! Lets hope this idea blows over...