Next steps now chemo is over

 

I have now finished what I think they call the 'First line treatment' for Myeloma, and am now ready to go on to the next part. It has taken quite a long time.

I was initially told that something was wrong in June 2024 ( a year next month). Chemo started at the end of July 2024 for four months, then about three months for the stem cell transplant and another two months of 'consolidation' chemo. So the whole 'first line' has taken nine months. This seems long but I do know of acquaintances with other cancers whose first line is two years long. 

But my 'next bit' starts now and frankly, I feel great. It could partly be that there were some mild side-effects of the chemo which are now all washing out of my system. I have to say in passing that I rather miss the steroids that had me bouncing out of bed at five in the morning. I am currently having to increase my caffeine intake at an east London café (the almond croissant was not strictly necessary...)

The 'standard of care' treatment for my condition would now be long term maintenance with a drug called lenalidomide, but my consultant has suggested a clinical trial of another drug could help, so I've signed up for it. The drug is usually used much further 'down the line', as it were,  and it's called Elranatamab. 

And before the trial starts they have to do a battery of screening tests, some of which I had yesterday. They did ECG, seven tubes of blood samples and finally, alas, another bone marrow sample where they push a needle through the back of your pelvis and extract a dessert-spoon of the marrow contents. This is the third one I've had, but I have to say it was the least painful, and thank you very much to the doctor and nurse performing it. And thanks of course to the NHS for making financial pain something I didn't experience.

So now I am ready for the next bit, feeling very positive and happy, filling my boots and, as you can see from the photo, getting quite as hairy as I used to be. The beard will be back the next pic I post.