The Fight Goes On

Almost two years ago my beloved husband Hamada was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a Cancer of the Plasma Cells. He was informed that he would not survive longer than six months. Never accepting, we have been fighting for almost two years to push back the time he has with us, following every procedure and every possible treatment, and doing everything we can to help and support him. This dear man has such courage, dealing with his pain, with no complaints. A lesson for us all I think.

I have written these poems to convey my feelings and to help me to understand why this has happened to this kind gentle Egyptian, who is still quite young. He never says "why me" perhaps if he did, it would be easier to bear, So we continue our journey with hope and the joy we have just being together - he is very tired but still he smiles that beautiful smile every single day.

The words of the wonderful poet KHALIL GIBRAN say it so much better than I can...

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you, yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions
may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him...

~

How wonderful - some good news for us.

As I sit at my desk listening to Luciano Pavarotti singing 'Ai Giocchi addio' from Romeo and Juliet, the phone rings and it's our lovely Doctor from Lincoln County Hospital with the latest blood test results for Hamada. After the short course of 'Filgrastim'' the results show a very good improvement, how wonderful is that - so now with the sun shining through my window and this beautiful music - all is well in my world, for the time being.

A Great Website.

Myeloma sufferers take a look at http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/ and click on Myeloma, a great site for simple understanding of Multiple Myeloma.

Update on Good Friday

This morning I went to Lincoln Hospital to collect Neupogen -filgrastim Injections for Hamada. These have been prescribed in an effort to help with Hamada's, disorder of Neutropenia, a condition in which the number of white cells are extremely low, this of course leads him to suffer from repeated severe infections. We hope the Neupogen will help to increase the number of white cells, which in turn will help Hamada to fight these infections. He is weak and tired but still smiling and never ever complaining!

Further Update

It has been a challenging time since Hamada returned from Lincoln Hospital and a slow recovery once again from his second bout with pneumonia. He has been extremely weak and suffering with anaemia which is common in Myeloma. Hamada's kidneys are unable to produce a special growth factor, known as erythropoietin, this stimulates the bone marrow to make red blood cells. He has a weekly injection to help with that. He is constantly tired but makes a tremendous effort to get up for longer periods each day. He has now had another bone marrow aspirate which involves inserting a fine needle into the bone marrow space at the back of the hip bone under local anaesthetic, and they aspirate/ suck out a few bone marrow cells to stain and view under a microscope. We wait now for ten days for the results once again.

The following is an extract from a wonderful poem written by Arthur Hugh Clough and brought to my attention by dear friends who live in our village, it is a wonderful poem of courage and hope, in the face of diversity and for folk who struggle daily, it is I believe a must to read.

Last two verses from - Say Not The Struggle Naught Availeth.

For while the tired waves, vainly breaking,
Seem here no painful inch to gain,
Far back, through creeks and inlets making,
Comes silent, flooding in, the main.

And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the light;
In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly!
But westward, look, the land is bright !

~

Update

Hamada was allowed to come home from Lincoln Hospital at 6pm last evening. After spending the afternoon receiving blood platelets, he was ready to go. He was delighted to be home again and after inspecting his new all 'singing and dancing' bed, which proved very successful for him, settled down to rest. As he has pernicious anaemia now, he is very weak, but we have seen a good improvement over the past two weeks. He is to continue with the Antibiotics for the pneumonia and we must return to Lincoln Hospital again on Monday and Thursday of next week for further checks. On the 24th, Hamada will have another bone marrow aspiration. Hamada sends his very best wishes to his friends and to his dear family who have once again been supporting and encouraging him.
He also thanks his dear family in Alexandria for their recent telephone messages and for the comment under the poem - 'You Elude Me'

Update

Hamada has made very good progress with his fight against his second bout of Pneumonia and is now considerably better. We are hoping that if his blood count is good enough today, he will be allowed home perhaps at the weekend. It is really better and safer for him to continue his recovery from this infection at home, but once again we thank all the wonderful Doctors and Staff at Lincoln County Hospital, Waddington Unit for their superb continuing care of Hamada .

Update.

Hamada has been moved to a side ward in the Waddington Unit at Lincoln Hospital as he is today, 'Neutropenic' meaning his immune system is compromised due to lack of white blood cells and 'reverse barrier nursing' has started. The pneumonia seems to be a good deal better and he is quite cheerful but this is indeed a setback.