Monday, March 30, 2009

Follow my blog by email alert

Like to know how to follow my blog by receiving an email alert each time I make a new posting.
This comes from the Google Blogger Help Group:
http://groups.google.com/group/blogger-help/web/faqs

Feeds, promotion and search indexing.
4. How do I notify people of updates to my blog?
Blog Alert will send your family and friends daily email notifications when there are new posts to your blog. They don’t need an account. They just need your feed URL and their email address.

Click on this link to access Blog alert. http://www.shootthebreeze.net/blogalert/index.php

Enter this information into the dialogue box.
Feed URL; http://supersidnz.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Email; Your email address
Submit.
You will receive an email notification from Blog Alert for your confirmation.
After confirmation, when I make a new posting you will receive an email from Blog Alert that contains a link to my posting and the first 20 lines of my posting.
Click on my posting link to view the full posting.
Included in the email is a link to click if you no longer whish to receive Blog Alerts for my blog.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Follow my blog by feeds

Like to know how to follow my blog and too afraid to ask? Here is some help.
The assumption is your computer operating system is the same as mine; windows XP and internet explorer7. I am not sure how things work on other systems. See, I’m not perfect after all!
Following blogs by feeds is the easiest way I have found though it does rely on the blogs feeds being set up properly.

Feeds:
What is a site feed? An explanation is in this link.
http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=41450

Before starting, pick favourites center. For those who have never done that before (and I know 2 who are in that basket) that’s the big yellow star at top left.
There you will see favourites/feeds/history. Feeds are where we look for any feeds.

How to subscribe to my blog:
Scroll down to the bottom of my blog.
Pick subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
In the new window that appears pick “subscribe to this feed”
In the Subscribe to this feed dialogue box:
Name: retain default or edit or write what you want.
Create in: Your choice, default feeds directory or create a sub folder.
Pick subscribe.
The blog feed page opens.
Close the feeds page.
Pick favourites center then feeds.
There you will see my blog name or the name you wrote.
My blog is scanned regularly by feed readers. When I have made a new posting my blog name will be in bold text.
My blog feed is set up to show all postings in full. Other blogs maybe set up differently.
Helpful comments are appreciated.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Myelomaforum

There's a new kid in town, myelomaforum.
We all search the internet for myeloma information, here is a web site forum just getting off the ground dedicated solely to multiple myeloma.
I encourage you to have a look.
Here is their press release.

NEW FORUM DEDICATED STRICTLY TO MULTIPLE MYELOMA
Lakewood Ranch, FL – There's a new forum in town and it's dedicated strictly to Multiple Myeloma.
The forum was started by Andrew Smith of Lakewood Ranch, FL, after his uncle was diagnosed with Stage III Multiple Myeloma.
The forum was started to help promote communication among the Myeloma community; Allowing each member to make the most informed decisions possible about their treatment options and life style. By sharing information members can learn:
- What treatments are available in different locations.
- What doctors and organizations are most knowledgeable.
- What drugs and medication are available, safe, and effective.
- What diets work the best.
- What alternative treatments are available.
- How great people really are in this world.

For more information visit http://www.myelomaforums.com
-END

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Medical records

To keep my postings accurate I need my medical records.
Therefore I am delaying postings for a month as I have requested my medical records from the hospital. This is free and takes up to 20 working days to arrive.
"If you are going to do something, do it properly".

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Health update #02 3rd March 09

Today was my bi-monthly hospital consultation with my Haematologist and monthly infusion of aredia.
It is now 7 months since stem cell transplant #02. All my test results came in normal again similar to the previous update. I am a very happy chappie, humble that I have a second chance.
At the beginning of February I finished my controlled morphine reduction programme by stopping the M-elson (slow release morphine) altogether. That gave me my usual morphine withdrawal symptoms of restless legs at night for 7 nights though no mood issues this time. One of the side effects of morphine for me was drowsiness. Sleep is not as good now, our summer humidity not helping there. What I need to do is get into a regular sleep routine by going to sleep at the same time every evening, easier said than done. Distractions of blog, sport on TV, internet are a weakness for me.
My right arm is progressing well benefiting from regular exercise.
Peripheral neuropathy in my feet has not reduced. A scalp massager from the $2 shop has been added to my foot and leg massage tools and is now my number one massage aid.
I had a good talk to my Haematologist today.
He agreed that the morphine had masked the effects of peripheral neuropathy. That explains why it was increasing as the morphine dosage reduced.
Myra wanted to know how many others have had a second stem cell transplant. He said it was uncommon in NZ, about two a year at Auckland hospital. Mine was the only one in 2008. The contributing factors are stem cell availability, health, age, previous response and how active the multiple myeloma is.
Stem cell transplant #03 was raised by me. It is not feasible to harvest any more of my stem cells as the bone marrow has been damaged by the chemotherapy agent melphalan used during transplant.
Next consultation and health update will be 26th May.