It was a sad day for us both yesterday which brought bad news that Hamada is just not responding well enough to the chemotherapy drug Velcade. With just eleven infusions received since starting in late February and many stops and starts along the way due to a chest infection, severe reduction in neutrophils and platelets, it has been hard work for him from day one. Now again the next and what looks like the last cycle of four Velcade infusions- unless a miracle happens- will be supported with Filgrastim 30MIU/05 injections started yesterday and continuing throughout the next four infusions. Hamada’s Doctor at Lincoln informed us that a very poor reduction of 4.5 in para-protein level after eleven infusions is really not good enough and is most unlikely to make the 50% reduction needed to continue. Yesterday neutrophils were an alarming 0.68 and PP still at 14 !

So dear family and friends unless another miracle happens and we’ve had a few, Velcade will not be the wonderful elixir we so hoped would work for dear Hamada.