Introduction (Part 3)

2005 - 2006

During the next two years I had regular quarterly check-ups with Dr Paul Hill and required no treatment with my blood counts maintaining the levels of October 2004. Between March 2005 and July 2006 my Wbc went from 3.1 to 5.3 and my Hbn went from 14.5 to 12.6. My weight had ranged between 84.5 and 87kgs. Sadly, Tina’s mother, Eve, died in September 2006 from liver cancer. She had been struggling with heart and circulation problems and had been in and out of hospital for some years. Eventually she was admitted to her local hospital in Dartford in July, again with circulation problems, but after dramatically losing weight in the space of two weeks was diagnosed with cancer. She stayed in hospital until she died. Following on from her brother George’s dying earlier in the year, this was not looking like a good year for our family. We did have good news though. Our daughter, Anna, had a baby girl, Eva, in August – her first.

However in early September 2006 I contracted a urinary infection, which was so painful, I had to take a week off work. This dragged on to the end of October with varying degrees of discomfort and my having to take three different anti-biotics, before it eventually fizzled out. During this time me somehow managed to have a 2 week holiday on our favourite Greek Island of Symi. Unfortunately around this time and before my next check-up on 30th October, the glands in my armpits had started to swell and I started having night sweats again. I knew my CLL was back! That ends the historical catch-up in my log.

The next entries are written mainly in the present tense as they were composed either as events unfolded or so close in time to their occurring that it made to sense to write in that way.