Thought I post an update regarding our situation...

In December 2022, my wife received the news that she had relapsed with her Cancer. Just 6 months after finishing her course of chemotherapy. Her blood tests have shown that the Light Chain levels in her bloods had started to increase at an alarming rate. Doubling almost every 4 weeks. She was also in a lot of pain with her lower back again.

I took her to the A&E department (de-ja-vu) where she had an x-ray, they were unable to see any problems. I didn't beleive them, so I immediately got in touch with her Myeloma Consultant, who promtply booked an MRI.A week or two later, we had a call from the Consultant, asking if Laura could come into hospital immediately for emergency radio therapy. Unfortunately, we were unable to attend to straight away due to a family funeral, my wifes mum (my mother-in-law) had recently passed away.

The day after the funeral, my wife was admitted to hospital and began treatment right away. 5 rounds of radiotherapy. The MRI has shown and small cluster of Plasma Cells that had built up in her lower back (Sacrum) the size of a small piece of fruit. This is what was causing all he rback pain again.

She was in hospital for just over 8 days receiving treatment. On her 8th day they started a new cycle of Chemotherapy. This is where we are at now, at the time of writing this.

She has officialy started her 2nd line treatment for her disease, this was is a lot more intensive that then last one. For the first 25 weeks, she will be required to attend the hospital twice a week for Chemotherapy (upto 6 hours a session) and have weekly blood tests taken to see how she is responding to the treatment.

Kick a man whilst he's down

To further add to our problems, I was also given a notice of redundancy. Come the end of March I will no longer be working and have zero income.

We've had a long chat, and after much deliberation, decided that I would give up work for at least 6 months, the first 25 weeks of her treatment is critical and I want to be there for my wife and daughter.

I have absolutely no idea how we are going to pay the mortgage and ever rising costs of household bills, but I will find a way. I won't see my family homeless or hungry.

I've worked for over 20 years, paid my government and taxes, paid into a broken system, scrimped and saved to make sure my family has the best life they can, I won't have it ripped away from me. I've worked too hard for that.

Yet, when I come to ask my government and council for help, it seems that I am entitled to absolutely jack shit. To be a registered carer for my wife, they said they will give me £97 a week and need to look after her for more than 35 hours a week to get that.

35 hours a week... which is pretty much a full time job, and means I won't even be able to work part time to earn more money to pay the bills or put food on the table.

Despite all this. I remain positive. Good things happen to good people right? Well its about time something good happened to us. We've had a shit few years and the blows just seem to keep coming.