New Year, New Start?

Along came the 28th of December. I'd had a really nice Christmas but knew that the outpatient appointment was looming. As my parents are over from France we all went to together. A blood test revealed that my kidneys were not performing very well, in fact so poorly, that 'kidney failure' was mentioned. I immediately went to St. James' Hospital where there was a bed waiting for me on an almost empty ward - I guess they kicked everyone out for Christmas.

The prognosis. After various tests including ultrasound and CT it has been decided that the Hodgkin's Lymphoma has spread int my kidneys, making them work rather badly. So badly, that I almost required kidney dialisys. Luckily Dr. J stepped in and gabe me 3 lots of sterids to give my kidneys a good kicking. Since we can't go ahead with chemo unless the kidney are functioning because they are so vital in the removing of the chemo wastes.

My kineys were under such strain, and this has been slowly creeping up on me in the ast few months. To the point where I wasn't draining fluid properly and hence the pressure on my heart and the 100 beats per minute.

Anyway, after a few miscommunications and worrying moments my kiney are slowly but surely imporving. Dr. J let me how for the evening last night, and here I sit at 6:30am typing this - with the hickups. Yes, the hickups. Along with the many other tasks kidneys have to perform they somehow have great control over hickups. They are driving me bloody mad! I sleep with hickups, I get them after a drink, I get them for no reason, I get them for moving slightly! Aaaarrrggghhhh! When will this misery end? I did discover yesterday that oranges seem to ease the issue so I will be eating plenty of those thankyou.

Not sure when I'll be out again, but when I fully stabilise I assume I will get a few days at home before starting the chemo. So, a great start to the year. As always, I'm determined to get over this once and for all. This is my final chance and I can't afford to take any risks - after this, treatment becomes somewhat more 'experimentational'. For the record, I regret none of the decisions I have made. I had a great summer, saw some great bands and had a really good time. I just have to get through the next 4-5 months of shit...