It's the End of the World as we know it, and I feel fine

The Mayans predicted the end of the world today, appropriately on Mad Friday too!!!

11.10am passed without incident. I was stuck in the waiting room at Manchester Royal Infirmary in a Myeloma clinic for my final check up of the year. I was back at MRI for the results of my MRI scan on my pelvis. You may recall from previous blogs that they found cause for concern following x-rays that they thought were lesions caused by the Myeloma.

Unfortunately the MRI scan is inconclusive - there is some bone damage and there are marks on the bone but the consultant is not 100% sure they are caused by the Myeloma. Although my blood levels remain affected - the amount of Myeloma is high, the amount of calcium is high, kidney function is impaired and white cells are low - they remain stable; so a decision to closely monitor has been made.

The most effective course of Chemotherapy is the first one and so they don't want to waste this and whilst I am now borderline for treatment they want to wait until a clear symptom of end organ damage is present before they start. This can change quickly and so this is why I remain on monthly check ups with some clear warning signals to look for.

This is all round good news. It means I can park the disease and enjoy Christmas with Jen and the kids - my next check up is 1st February 2013.

So today could have been a bad one, the Mayans aside,  but in the words of Michael Stipe "It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine"

Have a very Happy Christmas and healthy, happy New Year