One Year

A year ago I was living in Mwanza. In fact, though I did not know it at the time, this day (April 1st) would be my last full day in Tanzania. A year ago tomorrow we would be heading off for a holiday in Kenya. However, Easter is a moveable feast and as such has …

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Zero Coke and Minimum Pepsi

Last week I had what was undoubtedly the best renal consultation in a year. I had scheduled a day of appointments with a visit to my new renal consultant at 9am followed later in the day by a scheduled appointment with my Haematology consultant at 1:15. It made for a long, but ultimately productive day, …

Dem Bones

As part of assessing my progress post transplant, today it was necessary to take a bone biopsy. This is standard procedure in Milton Keynes where I am now registered. It takes place three months after stem cell transplant. It is not the first time I have had this done. Way back in April last year, …

It never rains…

It never rains but it pours. This English idiom describes the fact that just when you think it can't get worse something else comes along to make you re-evaluate your thinking. Such has been the past 48 hours or so.

New Beginnings

Today is my birthday and just as the year has turned, the turning of my age marks a new beginning. In other ways too it's a new beginning as this morning I have met with my new consultant in MK having transferred from Lincoln. They plan to monitor me monthly for the time being - …

Christmas Cold

It had to happen eventually. I rather wish it hadn't happened at Christmas. In recent weeks I've been getting ready for the festivities. Present and food shopping and decorating the house. Making use of the extra time I have this year as I continue to recover from the effects of the chemotherapy. In the last …

One Last Time

Having moved back to MK at the beginning of December, I am now registered at a local GP and have an appointment in the New Year for a consultation in MK General Hospital. However, this morning I am back in Clinic 7 at Lincoln County Hospital for one last appointment. This scheduled appointment is really …

For the Chop

In just three days I have lost most of my hair. The speed of this had perhaps been the most surprising thing to have happened in the whole treatment process. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Though it will eventually grow back, there will be a substantial period of baldness or partial baldness for as much as …

Transfusion

The featured image shows my room from the outside. The long thin widows nearest to the grey tiled building are mine. As my neutrophils have continued to rise up to 0.6 at last count. The engrafted stem cells developing into neutrophils, red blood cells and platelets among other things. I have also had GCSF injections …

Ups and downs

This past 24 hours I have started to feel more unwell. This has mainly been a low level nausea and an accompanying headache. I have completely lost my appetite and find it particularly hard to eat any form of meat. I have been given anti- sickness and anti-diarrhoea medicines which has helped. My mouth and …

Time Shifts Slowly

A matter of routine. The days morph into weeks. One week down already. A long and slow descent. As my cells die slowly.   Within this room I lie. With four familiar walls. Shuttered window viewpoint. On Autumn world outside. It's a limited life.   Here in isolation. Yet not alone at all. Friends and …

Calm Before The Storm

It's a little weird being here in hospital. Although I am not well (obviously) I am not feeling really ill. So whilst they monitor and measure I remain for now in relatively good health. My neutrophils remain high, so for now my body remains protected from the environment around me. I do know for certain …

Day 0/1

Today has been busy, after a quieter morning. I managed to get reasonable sleep in spite of regular trips to the loo, due to the diuretics. They were worried I was retaining too much water, but the body is a complex organism and getting the balance is difficult. In recent days they have increased my …

On My Way

The call came in at 2:15pm. Thankfully It didn't go off this morning in church so at least I got to go. I'm off to Nottingham. The day I have been waiting for for several months has come one day early. It's a two hour journey to Nottingham, but a bed is available and they …

Feeling Messed About

A phone call at 5pm last night has left me feeling a little messed about. The call from my consultant at Nottingham was to inform me that when I go in on Sunday or Monday they will not after all perform the chemotherapy. Instead Renal will look at my kidney to determine whether I will …