C/o Haematology Unit, Ward 12, Victoria Hospital,
Kirkcaldy, Fife
Three Myeloma people from Fife and their carers met
for the first time on Monday 23rd.June 2003, at the Staff Club of
the Victoria Hospital. For Arthur,
Jessie, John, Betty, and Jacques, it was a break through the wall of isolation
that kept them apart until then. They
travelled from Leven, Glenrothes, and even Kinesswood, some seventeen miles
away.
“I, too, have Myeloma….”was the starting point. Thanks to the meeting, each of us realised
that we were not alone in having Myeloma and in caring for someone with
Myeloma. Now we know other people who
also face that Cancer. We discovered
there are some 20 Myeloma People attending the Haematology Unit at Ward 12 of the
Victoria Hospital of Kirkcaldy.
John was diagnosed four years ago and was prescribed
Thalidomide early on, which disagreed with him. Today, apart from numbness
about the body, he is quite satisfied with his present treatment. Socially, he
prefers to keep his Myeloma to himself; even his friends don’t know he has
Cancer.
Arthur was already retired on other health grounds
when he was diagnosed last year. His
present concerns sound very familiar to most people with Myeloma treatment
experience: multiple daily medications, including oromorph and pain killing
patches, restrict the scope for “normal” living. One day is OK, the next not so good, and so on. Then, the big question remains: “How am I
doing Doctor, what’s going to happen next?”
Jacques, also diagnosed in 1999, went through
serious complications, and treatment for a transplant. More chemotherapy followed until September
2002 when that was replaced by Thalidomide, which is keeping the paraprotein level
in check.
Ellen Watters from IMF (International Myeloma
Foundation) attended that first meeting.
Ellen explained her role with IMF, which is to help setting up Myeloma
support groups such as this one. This week
being the UK Myeloma Week (21-28 June), our meeting was a welcome initiative in
the awareness campaign run by IMF.
Doctors, and GPs in particular, are targeted because so much depends
upon early diagnosis, before extensive damage has been done. More research is the key to further
development, leading to new drugs, such as “Velcade” and “Actimid”, which offer
good prospects of lasting treatment. Ellen offered IMF brochures and
information leaflets about Myeloma, with contact names and numbers.
We thank Charge-Nurse Jillian, of the Haematology
Unit, for making the initial arrangements for the meetings, and to Staff-Nurse
Angela for letting us in, and making the booking for the next meeting:
Monday 18th.
August 2003, at 15.00 hours.
The Victoria Hospital Staff
Club
(Refreshments will be provided. That is a promise!)