All's well

I'm just revisiting this blog. I like to do that every now and then.

On May the 3rd 2012 I reached the 5 year post stem cell transplant stage. 5 years is an important number, it's often quoted as being the time after which chance of re-occurrence drops significantly. Indeed, it's almost 6 years now.

I'm doing well. Still working for jtvcancersupport.com cancer support and I have a son, who is almost 2, and I love riding my bike (as I always did).

Things are good.

just one last thing

I don't think I ever mentioned how beneficial it is to go swimming in the sea once you've finished your chemo. The amount of shit that came out of my head in its many hidden chambers was unbelievable. Bright yellow stuff like egg yolk. Makes you wonder what's in the rest of my body.

anyway, that's it. byeeeeeeeeee.

the end...

Yesterday I had the results from my latest scan.

All clear.

I am free of disease. I am free of cancer.

It's been a long road. I can only pray it doesn't come back in the future. Right now I feel really good. I am getting my fitness back and I have so much energy. After having low blood for so long it is a novelty to get blood delivered to the muscles as they ask for it.

With this news I am ending the blog. I can move on with my life now. This blog will be archived at www.deadlyhifi.com/blogger http://tomdebruin.blogspot.co.uk/. I will be starting a new blog - read if you dare. It won't be cancer related though...

I want to thank everyone who has supported me over the years. And I wish all the best to all the people who are still going through the cancer journey. If I can do it, so can you!

Thank you for reading.

conjunctive-eye-it-is

Did you know I was married. That's what I did in Rhodes, get married. I also got a lot of sun, and got drunk a couple of times too.

I have conjunctivitis in the eyes. Had an 'emergency' trip to my doctors yesterday evening. Emergency because the chemist was concerned and wouldn't give me anything for the leak that my eyes had developed. I discovered this whilst I was on the 55k (34mile) ride I went on yesterday (Including 'Le Bastard' hill from Chevin cycles up the hill past Danefield - only Leeds-ians will know of this vertical terror).

Full of beans I was. My blood test, today showed it. Hemoglobin at 11 (reference range 13-15) so I'm doing rather well. Everything else has risen in the correct direction too. Apart from my kidneys. Those crazy things have got a slightly high creatinine once again. It may be down to not drinking enough water. Another check in two weeks time to see what they are doing.

In the next two weeks I will be mostly drinking green tea, cranberry juice, and water. If you see me without a drink in my hand tell me to get one!

remember me?

Me in February 2007:


I could grab right around the top of my arm with one hand in those days.

Me in October 2007:


My, how you've grown!

so when do you 'think' you're going on holiday?

Imelda picked up on the above statement from the doctor as we sat down to receive the news of my blood test yesterday afternoon, and immediately drifted into a paranoid state.

Luckily it all came back good. Not perfect, but good enough to go on holiday, and an improvement on last time. Which means no pelvic extraction when I return from Rhodes!

When I do return I'll be a married man. How bizarre. I'll also be oily as an olive, and as brown as a, ermmmm, cardboard box?

another blood test

Another day, another blood test. Just a little recap: my red blood cell count was low, and my platelets are still low, and my kidneys weren't perfect. This afternoon I'll get the next bit of information.

Watch this film here: My Little Scare. Luisa, 18 months post transplant, has a blood issue. Watching this makes me realise that anything could yet happen since I'm only 4 months post transplant.

I have been extremely busy moving house and have found little time to relax because there have been so many little jobs to do. I'm looking forward to my holiday/wedding/honeymoon in Rhodes which is less than a week away!

empty bones

Another blood test last Thursday. Things are OK, but only OK. My red cell count was only 8.9 (should be 13-15) so I am a little weak.

The doctor said it was probably down to there not being much marrow in my bones. I will go back in three weeks time to see if things have improved. If they haven't then after my holiday/wedding/honeymoon trip to Rhodes I will be having another bone marrow test - you know the one where they apple core your pelvis to get inside your bones.

They aren't concerned about cancer (at this point) but it will just be a procedure to see what's going on inside my bones.

The doctor described my 32km bike ride the day before as 'impressive' considering my low RBC.

For some reason my platelets are also still on the low side at 31 (or was it 51?) either way, low. No cuts and bruises for me please.

the BIG DAY

So the big day came and went. The big day of course was the results of my scan. What I've realised is that there's never a definitive answer.

My scan was not clear, but that does not mean I have cancer. There is still evidence of enlarged nodes in my body. They are much smaller than they were. They could get smaller. They could stay the same. They could get larger. They even said they wouldn't treat if they did get larger. Really the test is how I feel, and I feel good. I don't have any symptoms. I don't have any night sweats. So really the purpose of this scan is to stage me, or check out what I look like when I'm 'normal'. I have another scan in 3 months - another 'big day' to look forward to.

My hemoglobin has been dropping a little over the past few consultations so I've been given multi vitamins to take, and another blood test in 2 weeks. They are not concerned because the anti pneumonia tablets I was on, and have now stopped, have side effects of their own which could be the cause.

In the mean time I have been going to the gym, ridden my bike, and have bought a new bike too. A road bike! that I will be collecting on Tuesday.

postsecret

I've been reading post secret for some time now. Rather than explain what it is just watch this video.