Ill Health

for those that haven't seen this...

needless to say the gallows humour from my closest friends reached new heights!

Hi Nick, you look like you're keeping your chin up even if it is with the help of a walking frame. I for one am very glad you shared this on the forum. We are after all a sort of supportive community with a shared interest. I had prostate cancer 5 years ago and thankfully recovered completely thanks to the advances in medical science that allowed a non invasive surgical method to be used. So I have some idea what you may be feeling.
Please feel free to PM me any time and at the risk of repeating myself may you have a hassle free treatment and a speedy recovery.
Cheers,
Rod

I added an edit to my earlier reply up above.

recovering from traumatic illness

Dear Nick - My heart and soul go out to you during this leg of your journey; and, how courageous to share it with us. As you've already perceived, it does bring enlightenment.

Two books that changed my perceptions and helped me survive, and even thrive.... 1. Dark Nights Of The Soul by Thomas Moore ..... 2. Wishes Fulfilled by Wayne Dyer.

I pray the universe shows you how grand it really is. Holding you in prayer - Viqueen

Nick,
Just saw this as have been distracted by the holidays and family at home.

Praying also for you. My son-in-law's father recently got the identical diagnosis, so in a way, reading your post and the replies has been encouraging, since we didn't know what to expect.

Hi Nick. Sorry to read of your plight. Good luck with the chemo. I was diagnosed with NHL Follicular lymphoma one year ago on 27/11/2013 and had 6 rounds of R-CHOP so I know the journey you are on. All the best and I hope you will keep us up to date with your progress. My best wishes.

nickyr said:

Hi everyone

Depressing thread time I'm afraid.

After suffering with a bad back for around 3 months I finally saw my GP and arranged an x ray. After investigations at hospital it turns out I have multiple myeloma - cancer of my bone marrow.

This as you can imagine has turned out to be devastating for me but more so for my family and friends.

I am looking forward (if that's the right way of putting it) to 12 weeks of chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant and then hopefully a remission. The cancer is treatable only so will return at some stage in the future but I'm not thinking about that.

If you like, you can follow my blog at during the meanwhilst

It's not all about doom, gloom and illness but more a sideways glance at life now I've a chance and the time to think about things!

If anyone here has gone or had a relative or friend go through the same illness and would like to share any expreriences please let me know.

Thanks everyone.

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I am so sorry to hear your are ill. This came across in my email yesterday in a mac-forum round up and I made a mental note to log onto the site and wish you well.

My step-father was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma back in May. We then found out it was stage 4 and had travelled into his bone marrow. He just completed his last round of chemo last week and we are awaiting to hear what his latest blood work is.

Cancer, regardless of how curable or common is terrifying, there is just no way around that. But I have taken a lot away from this experience, as well as those of others around me.

Let me start by saying my step-daddy turned 78 this year. Yep. 78. He works 14 hour days driving a logging truck and has missed virtually NO work, save for the his chemo week (which is once a month, two days of treatment and then he takes the third day, Friday, off to recover). I'm very much aware he is not the norm, BUT he has one thing that anyone can have- a can do attitude. He's the strong silent type and I'm sure he WAS scared, maybe even a bit still. But he faced the problem head on and I believe his outlook on getting well is what made this- dare I say this and risk jinxing us?- a fairly painless experience. His red blood cell count is higher than it's ever been. We also realized he went undiagnosed for 4+ yrs due to the incompetent staff at the cancer center he had been going to. They had terrible turn over and he kept having to start from scratch. His case presented as anemia and most drs chalked it up as such and continuously gave him iron supplements and numerous blood transfusions and iron infusions. Although it took us a very long road to find out what ailed him, and we were terrified once he was diagnosed, it was also a relief to KNOW there was something to be done to make him better.

I hope you can take some comfort knowing a 78 yr old man kicked cancers butt and you can, too. I just know it!

One other inspiration I have had over the years is a young, beautiful woman named Diem Brown who fought ovarian cancer three times in the last 10 years. She did pass away a few weeks ago, but I honestly believe the reason she lived as long as she did is because she WANTED it that badly. Really, the fact that she made it through the first two times is amazing, she was just that sick. I believe a positive attitude can take you so incredibly far. She also started a wonderful foundation www.medgift.com

And last but not least...my mom's bestie, Gayle. She is living with pancreas cancer, diagnosed in 2011. She should have been gone two years ago, but she is the most determined, positive, joyful person I know. Yes, she has bad days...more so now than before, but her good days are enough to make her power through the bad ones, as hard as they may be. She just published a memoir, dealing with her diagnosis while telling a parallel story of her life - think hiking in Switzerland, biking in the mountains, etc. Her story is amazing and her words are so uplifting I believe it can change someone's life. Yes, it is a sad tale, but it does not leave you feeling hopeless...it leaves you feeling hopeful!

Wow, I said a lot more than what I planned to!!! Goodness, I didn't realize I could be so long winded. LOL

In a nut shell...what I am trying to say is that the fight might be difficult, it might feel exhausting and dark, but take comfort in knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel and surround yourself with your loved ones and let them be there for you. I have faith and I wish you all of the wellness in the world.

P.S. Love your photo, I think you look wonderful! Keep smiling.

pembrukboy said:

Admire your positive attitude and, being Welsh, you can hopefully stay that sense. I send best wishes from an Aussie-Taff. Some metaphorical sunshine might help, so it is 'winging its way to you'.

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being Welsh, metaphorical sunshine is often the best we can hope for!!

nickyr said:

I deliberated for some time before hitting the post button on this topic, thinking that perhaps a computer forum wasn't necessarily the best place for this. But although I don't post a lot here (and when I do it's generally more questions than answers!!!), I have been a member for around 7 years (I joined the day I bought my first iMac I think) and have a sense of belonging and feeling of friendliness on this forum that I don't experience on others. That's why I decided it was right to post.

Also I felt that sharing problems and experiences with fellow cancer sufferers would be of immense help, not just to me but perhaps to other sufferers too.

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I can understand your trepidation about posting this. I have been to numerous computer/digital forums over the years. In most cases I've been a visitor not a member. Some of these forums have had a positively nasty vibe going. This one is generally the opposite, The only forum I've run across with a similar vibe was MacOSG which sadly seems defunct now.

Personally I'm glad you thought enough of your fellow members to post your story. Anything we can do to help keep your spirits up let us know.

Perhaps we could start passing you the really gnarly computer problems. That ought to keep you occupied.

I place a lot of faith in modern medicine and prayer hope you have a speedy recovery.

Slydude said:

Perhaps we could start passing you the really gnarly computer problems. That ought to keep you occupied.

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er you could try but given the majority of my posts are when I need an answer to a gnarly computer problem myself you might have to wait a while for an answer!!

what UK time does your evening chat start in the UK? I don't sleep well at the moment so may * be awake to listen

* you can guarantee that tonight I will sleep like a baby!!

If I looked at the time zone calculator correctly you are 6 hours ahead of me. We generally start at 7:00 p.m. my time so that makes it 1:00 a.m. tomorrow morning your time.

I was just about to post an announcement. I won't be able to make it this week. Had a cold/flu since Friday an I am spending today catching up on some things that need to be wrapped up. I should make it next week though. Hope to see you there.

hopefully

dose yourself up with any remedies going and get well soon

Thanks. Starting to feel better. Still have the sore throat and intermittent loss of voice though. Should be fine in a day or two.

I too have those little/no sleep nights from time to time though for different reasons. Hang in there.

Slydude said:

The only forum I've run across with a similar vibe was MacOSG which sadly seems defunct now.

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Try TechSurvivors.net, if you're interested. It was a start up after a corporate forum collapsed. It's been so long ago, I can't remember the name of it. (Maybe NoWonder.com?) Maybe there's a history page...

Thanks. I bookmarked it so I can take a look later when I am a bit more awake. My wife has been saying for years that the vibe on most Mac forums is far and away nicer than many of the PC/gaming forums she visits. And she's a gamer. Hasn't used a Mac consistently since the clamshell iBook days.

Slydude said:

Thanks. Starting to feel better. Still have the sore throat and intermittent loss of voice though. Should be fine in a day or two.

I too have those little/no sleep nights from time to time though for different reasons. Hang in there.

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I hate nights like that! Last night was one of those. I dozed off around 1 am and then about an hour later I was WIDE awake. It's even worse when you're sick, glad you are feeling a bit better!

Hope you are hanging in there, Nick, as well and are able to sleep better soon!!

cherry_bomb said:

I hate nights like that! Last night was one of those. I dozed off around 1 am and then about an hour later I was WIDE awake.

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When that happens to me, I get up. Sit in a dark room for 20-30 minutes until I'm drowsy. Faster than staying in bed < sometimes I'd never get back to sleep that way.

Nick,

If I may express an opinion - you were very wise to share your recent sudden health change with us all on the Mac Forum. Judging by the responses, it has had the desired effect. You and your family will need all the support you can muster over the next few weeks and months. I have read your blog, and viewed your photographs. You're obviously a person with a great sense of humour, and a very positive attitude. You also have another important plus, going for you, you live in God's country, the best in the world, although I have resided in Canada for 45 years, I was born 82 years ago, on the isle of Anglesey, only a few hundred miles from Swansea, and the Mumbles. No matter what part of Wales one visits or resides in, it offers beauty at every turn. Be strong, and hang in there Nick, you will beat this demon, we hope you will continue to post, and keep us informed of your progress. 'Dal in Wella' (continue to get well) and 'Hwyl' (cheers) Dewi (Jones)

Nick,

If its any consolation, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma around the time my wife was pregnant for my first son. At the time, she wasn't sure if she would live to see him born. I'm happy to report that with excellent care at Johns Hopkins University (including a stem cell transplant) she has been relatively healthy for quite some time now. In fact, my son will be 10 in February and she shows no signs of slowing down.

To be sure, there were some bad times, particularly with the stem cell transplant (severe nausea), but she pulled through and is doing just fine.

I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.