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Aberdeen granddad lost four inches in height after back pain turned out to be cancer

Bob Johnstone, 73, was told he had between six and seven years to live.

Bob Johnstone lost over four inches in height due to his crumbling vertebrae. Image: CSEP Aberdeen
Bob Johnstone lost over four inches in height due to his crumbling vertebrae. Image: CSEP Aberdeen

An Aberdeen granddad lost more than four inches in height after what started as back pain turned out to be an incurable cancer.

Bob Johnstone, from Rosemount, was told he had between six and seven years left to live after being diagnosed with myeloma in April 2017.

Myeloma is a type of bone marrow cancer that damages the bones and affects the production of healthy blood cells.

Bob was diagnosed with cancer in 2017. Image: CSEP Aberdeen

It’s a relapsing-remitting cancer, meaning that although many patients will experience periods of remission following treatment, the disease will inevitably return.

Despite his prognosis, 73-year-old Bob remains positive thanks to the care of staff at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The hospital recently received the Myeloma UK Clinical Service Excellence Programme (CSEP) Award for its commitment to patients living with myeloma.

Bob says their care, combined with ongoing treatment, means he has been able to meet his grandchildren.

He said: “The staff are absolutely wonderful – I’m alive and I’m eternally grateful to them for it.

“I can’t speak highly enough of all of them.

“I have total confidence in the staff, from the top to the bottom.”

Retired human celebrant Bob’s journey with myeloma started in January 2017, when he woke up with extreme pain in his spine.

He saw a chiropractor and, later, an NHS physiotherapist, who referred him to his GP after six weeks of treatment.

Bob lost four and a half inches in height from crumbling vertebrae

Within days of having blood tests, the dad-of-two was told he had incurable blood cancer.

He explained: “When I was diagnosed, I had never heard of myeloma. I looked at the GP blankly.

“Some of the vertebrae had crumbled and had squashed my back.

“I lost four and a half inches and I’m slightly bent now.”

Bob lost four and a half inches in height. Image: CSEP Aberdeen

Bob immediately started chemotherapy and received a stem cell transplant in February 2018, before going into remission.

Sadly though, his cancer returned after just 18 months, in the summer of 2019.

Bob was quickly put on another treatment, which has kept his cancer at bay for more than four years.

Cancer is ‘creeping back’ but Bob confident staff will keep him going

While he is still doing well it’s likely he’ll have to start a new treatment soon.

He said: “I know it’s coming back, it’s just a question of when.

“Although it’s slowly creeping back, they’re keeping an eye on it and I’m still in remission.

“I take each day as it comes.”

Bob said he hopes to pick up playing the saxophone and spend more time in nature with his dog.

He added: “I’m slightly apprehensive thinking about it coming back but I’ve always been a positive person.

“There are new treatments now and knowing there are options is reassuring.

“I’m confident the staff will keep me going.

“I’m confident I’m going to be here for a wee while.”

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary staff receive award for myeloma work

Dr Stephanie Stone, consultant haematologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, said: “We are delighted to be awarded accreditation with the Myeloma UK Clinical Excellence Programme.

Dr Stephanie Stone and nurses Fiona Butler and Laura Simpson with their Myeloma UK CSEP excellence award. Image: CSEP Aberdeen

“Achieving the award is a real tribute to the hard work and care provided by the whole team within NHS Grampian and we appreciated the opportunity to review our myeloma service and to see where improvements could be made.

“We look forward to implementing the helpful suggestions provided by the Myeloma UK team and would encourage other myeloma centres to engage with the programme.”

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