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.

I can't believe you forgot my birthday!

Yesterday was a good day, in fact it was the best day. The sun was shining, and I went on a proper off-road mountain bike ride. It was so much fun. And I didn't do too badly. I was clearly using easier gears than I had been used to back in the day, but that's what gears are there for. In the evening I went swimming in an attempt to soothe my aching muscles. It worked, kind of, I'm feeling it today! But then, it's the most exercise I've done in a looooooong time.

Today marks 100 days since my stem cell transplant. Happy 100th day second birthday to me.

a transition

Because I caught it so early the Shingles didn't really amount to much. It's just a bit itchy now, must resist the scratch!

I am now on a very low dose of Aciclovir to ward it off in the future until my immune system gets a bit more confident.

I feel weird at the moment because everything seems to be going right. I'm not used to things going right. I have a CT scan in a couple of weeks, maybe that will throw me back into the spiral of doom. Or maybe not? Everything is changing and it's hard to pull myself out of my 'sick' life. I am getting married in Greece in October. We are moving to a house in about 4 weeks time. My job is going well. We are going to buy a new sofa, washing machine, and fridge, and the neighbours cat at my new house is very friendly. What more could I ask for?

I'm not sick but i'm not well.

Everything was going fine until Monday evening as I was getting into my pyjamas and I noticed a little rash on my leg. But not just any old rash, no, this was a rash I recognised. The shingles are back.

This morning I went to the general practitioner who, after speaking to my oncologist, prescribed a normal dose of Aciclovir. I later spoke to the oncology nurse who assured me it was nothing to worry about. It is not a reflection on the cancer coming back. It is just unlucky.

I've caught it a lot earlier this time as well so hopefully I won't end up with patches of discoloured skin that currently grace my rear end.