…and failing miserably, I should add (add to the post’s title, that is).
But this time it’s because of something positive, VERRRRRY positive. 
Our (now) eldest cat, Piccolo, is definitely feeling better. He’s not out of the woods yet, but, e.g., yesterday, while we were having lunch, he suddenly showed up in the dining room, followed closely by his little black shadow, Prezzemolo (our youngest). He’d been refusing to come downstairs ever since we got back from the vet hospital, you see…
This seemingly small event was a HUGE event in our household, one that made us beam with happiness for the first time in days (we lost our eldest cat last Monday and have been absolutely miserable…)…I rushed into the kitchen to get Piccolo a treat…and a treat for the other cats, too, of course!!!
Today Piccolo has been downstairs twice. Boy, I hope this positive trend continues!
But what, I hear you ask, does that have to do with my research (post title)?
Well, in the past few days, whenever I go into my study, Piccolo follows me and gets up on the desk, using the cat tower hammock (see photo no. 2) to hoist himself up.
Once on the desk, he always positions himself between me and the keyboard, staring lovingly into my face. When he’s tired of being scratched behind the ears and cooed at, he lies down on top of the keyboard and/or the mouse.
Eh!
There’s no way I can do any work at the computer with Piccolo in the way, as you may be able to tell from these photos. 
And so…no research.
Oh well, I guess I can take a break, although it seems like ages since I last wrote a proper research post…But tomorrow is my birthday, and I have plans to do absolutely…nothing…Just a romantic lunch out with Stefano up in the hills around Florence…
Tomorrow, by the way, I’m turning 56, an age I never thought I’d reach after finding out I’d progressed from MGUS to SMM in the fall of 2005.
That was almost TWELVE years ago, though, and hey, I did make it to 56, beating the statistics…
And I also plan to keep on going…at least for a while!!! 😉
Happy birthday Margaret, have a great day. Great that it has already been 12 years since being diagnosed. Here is to many many more years,.
Love
Dieneke xx
Hello Dieneke my name is Peter and I have not used a blog before so please excuse me for butting in or not following protocol.
I was diagnosed with Myeloma in March 2013 and my Kappa light chain results are alarmingly high although I do not express any physical symptoms.
I read with great interest the article in the Daily Mail and I was already familiar with the BMJ report- fantastic result. You may have been misquoted in the Mail as it says you use 8 grammes a day of Sabinsa Curcumin C3 Complex. Yet I read earlier you use a different product. Could you maybe clarify for me what you are currently using- I tried to source the Sabinsa product on the internet but kept going around in circles until I was dizzy.
Many thanks – you have been a huge inspiration for me and I cannot wait to get started, regardless of cost.
Kind regards, Peter, Belfast.
Looks like Piccolo is feeling great and wants to share it with you! As annoying and inconvenient as it sometimes can be when our little fur bundles of joy want our undivided attention, I always take a moment to think that is their purpose, to remind us to be in the moment and enjoy. Congratulations on your Birthday milestone and your health milestone!
Hi Margaret,
Art here, I used to follow your blog and occasionally post, but that was years ago.
Regarding Piccolo, have you considered any of the boswellia extract (BS) products in place of the cortisone? Cortisone is pretty much a short term answer that has the potential for unwanted side effects. I’m sure you are already aware of BS’s anticancer potential as well as its great safety profile since you posted about it before. Here in the states, most pet suppliers have animal versions , but I suspect they are the same as the human versions of which the selection is greater. There are several forms of BS available such as the basic full spectrum capsules and then there are different levels of extract forms also. The most basic one is just called BS extract and then there is a version refered to as 5-Loxin/AKBA and the newest extract version is now called Apres Flex. These last two are likely to be the most effective for arthropathies in general. In any case these two are likely to be long term effective and compatible with curcumin.
Art
Happy birthday Margaret! Hope you have a wonderful day to spend your way!
Belated birthday greetings. With much gratitude as always for your blog. I am so thankful that I found it. You are a true inspiration. ?
Hi Margaret,
You might find this article interesting. Looks like they have started a clinical trial.
https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20170320/282209420672588
It looks like Bitter melon is something to add to the diet…
Sam
Happy Birthday Margaret!! May you have many many many more!
Vijay
Belated Happy Birthday Margaret. You’ve come such a long way over the years. Thanks so much for all your valuable help and information on my MM journey.
Jan.
Auguri di Buon Compleanno! Sei una grande anima! Grazie per quello che hai fatto e stai facendo
Hi Margaret,
I always found your posts interesting and even though I don’t suffer from myeloma, it was your writing that prompted me to do my own research on curcumin and then add it as a supplement on a daily basis for myself and my family.
I’m glad to hear Piccolo is feeling better. In your research have you come across the Assisi system for pets? Lil Bub (internet famous cat) made a remarkable recovery from a rare bone condition after using the Assisi loop. It works on the principle of targeted electromagnetic field therapy. Lil Bubs’s owner made this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcMRwStc9C4&t=18s
Thanks again,
Caroline