Getting Back on My Feet

Monday 3rd to Sunday 9th September 2007

Sunday 9th September 2007

I still have my horrible cough and cold, so have to absent myself halfway through Mass to avoid interrupting proceedings too much. We then drive to Richard and Jane’s at Shorne for the grand Ugarte family reunion in memory of Eve and Tessa‘s recent and forthcoming first anniversaries. Ironically today is the 15th anniversary of John’s death as well. We have a super late summer‘s day with lunch out on the edge of their field. I am on the Metronidazole wagon of course, but with my taste buds still all over the place, it is really no problem. Very nearly all the Ugarte, Sharp and Hart clans are there and there is absolutely no lull in the conversation as everyone moves from table to table catching up with cousins, etc. Jane plans to repeat the event again next year. I manage to get my feet up for some time before lunch, but it is not so easy afterwards. What is good for me is that I can get out and enjoy myself at an occasion like this, which seven days earlier would not have been the case at all.

Saturday 8th September 2007

A quiet day with a wander up the village for coffee and also chats and buys in Inspirations. Simon comes to us in the afternoon and does some clever stuff with the laptop, setting up the printer and the Ion record deck. It isn’t easy and he has to use all his acumen. He is finished just in time for us to watch the England - Israel Euro ‘08 qualifier.

Friday 7th September 2007

At last I have finished my seven days of the dreaded Metronidazole! I am not sure yet whether it was to blame for the nasty taste I have had in my mouth day and night, or not. I still have a further five days before I can have any alcoholic drink and can hardly wait for the chance to try a pint of Harveys! I get a newly published Q & A book in the post from the CLL Support Association. It states it is more for dipping into rather than reading from cover to cover. It certainly goes into a lot of detail and I am sure will prove to be extremely helpful to me - even after all this time - and to those recently arrived on the CLL scene. I spend a lot of the day sorting out paperwork, etc. that had accumulated during my six weeks in hospital.

Thursday 6th September 2007

I am back to the Day Unit for a blood test today, the results of which show once again
a really good increase in my neutrophil count of another 0.8, to 2.4! My full results are -
Wbc: 2.8; Neuts: 2.4; Lymph: 0.2; Hbn: 10.7; PLT: 86; and CRP: 11. I also get a script for daily GCSF for the next three weeks and my weight is slightly up at 77 kgs. I don’t know why, but my oedema has returned in a big way, with my legs swollen from feet to thighs again. My best guess is that I am not resting my legs enough - which is true! There are so many distractions at home stopping getting those feet up for any length of time, compared with being in hospital. One of these distractions - successfully completed - is to book ourselves for four nights at the Hotel Beaufort in St. Malo from Saturday 15th. The Rough Guide to Brittany and Normandy comes to the rescue in the search for the “right“ hotel, with a rather nice write up for the Beaufort. Then one look at their website is enough for me to be on the telephone to Sylvie Peterson and “Yes I do have a sea facing room for four nights for you” is her response. (Matthew later does us proud with a good price for the Portsmouth - Cherbourg ferry!) My small exercise regime is beginning to work. I am increasing the number of knee bends daily and am now up to 18. More importantly, my leg muscles feel so much stronger, particularly my thighs.

Wednesday 5th September 2007

We spend a quiet day together, including a stroll up to the village and a coffee in Café Murano. I am still struggling somewhat with the taste and smell of coffee, but the Murano coffee is always excellent. The smell of instant coffee is a real problem for me - so I haven’t a clue what the taste is like! In an effort to build me up, we bought some more of Clive’s superb meat for tonight’s dinner. I am eating quite well, but still do not have a fulsome appetite.

Tuesday 4th September 2007

In the morning I visit the dentist because of the lost molar filling from a couple of weeks back. The dentist is extremely attentive to my medical condition, medications, etc. and makes extensive notes for the dental records. I am very impressed - and I am very fortunate to have a dentist who is still on the NHS. She advises that she will not do a complete filling as this would require an anaesthetic and would not be a good idea given my current situation. So I have a temporary filling instead and must go back once I am through with the transplant and back to full health. Tina then drives me to Brighton where I have three units of blood. I am still having problems with my veins, despite the use of the heat pad. The chosen vein is at the base of my right thumb and rather uncomfortable all through with the third unit going in quite painfully. It doesn’t help that I have a slightly arthritic thumb joint! I get my chest checked out. It is OK but with congestion - and catarrh - in the upper respiratory tract. My weight is as yesterday -
76.5 kgs.

Monday 3rd September 2007

I am now happy to drive myself so I drive to Brighton for my 10am blood test. It turns out to be a very busy day for me and I have no time to put my feet up until late afternoon. I call into to Vincent and Joyce’s for a cup of tea - as opposed to their kind thought of a visit to “the sick” by coming to see me! When I get home there are letters from Kings about pre-transplant appointments and then I get a call from Andre Jansen to tell me my admission date will be Tuesday 25th September - Eeeeek! My blood results show a further improvement with my neutrophils, but I am anaemic and need a blood transfusion. No wonder I had been feeling I lacked energy! My results are - Wbc: 1.9; Neuts: 1.6; Lymph: 0.2; Hbn: 8.4; PLT: 83; and CRP: 12. But I have to go back to the RSCH in the afternoon for blood matching and still have time for an hour’s sleep! I spend some time later looking on the internet for somewhere in Normandy or Brittany for a few days break before I go in, but without coming to any conclusions. We are determined to get away for some quality time together after six weeks enforced separation and with the prospect of another six weeks apart with my transplant. My weight today is 76.5 kgs - up 1 kg from Thursday.