My New Admission Date is Set and then Put Back

Monday 15th to Sunday 21st October 2007

I have a blood test and attend Tim Corbett’s transplant clinic on Monday. This is a new clinic in which he sees pre- and post- transplant patients. Seems like a very good idea. Santa changes the Tegaderm dressing on my Hickman line to Mepore, because of my considerable allergic reaction. We conclude that my chest infection is getting better, but it will need checking in a week’s time. My weight today is down from last week at 73.8 kgs and my blood results are -Wbc: 2.6; Neuts: 1.1; Hbn: 11.7; PLT 87 and CRP: 5. Consequently I do myself a GCSF this evening. I am back to Brighton on Tuesday for my Pentamidine nebulizer.

I call Andre on Wednesday for the latest on my transplant. He tells me I should be admitted on 30th October, confirms that my no. 2 donor is lined up for “harvesting” and that my transplant date should be 8th November. Dr Devereux wants to see me this Friday and I will see the transplant team as well. I have an afternoon sleep for the first time in several days. Wednesday and Thursday are virtually “non days”. I am still sleeping quite a bit.

I see Steve Devereux at Kings on Friday morning after having my blood samples taken in the Day Room using my Hickman line. It is extremely busy there today. The consultation concentrates on my continuing chest infection as there is no way I will be going into a transplant procedure with it. The CT scan showed no sign of CLL and conjestion in the sinuses, but I really cannot remember what he said about down in my lungs, other than describing my bronchiole as a “tree in bud”. He wants me to come back early next week for a Bronchiole Alveolar Lavage (BAL) whereby they flush the farthest ends of the bronchioles to get out any nasty bits for examination. It may be that the Pseudomonas is just persisting - I am to continue with Ciprofloxacin for another two weeks - or there is another yet unidentified bug down there. He also wants to ensure that the infection is viral and not fungal. The procedure will be under anaesthetic with a sedative, so I will have to stay in one night. I later hear that this is lined up for Tuesday and Wednesday. I am asked to give a sputum sample, but I don’t think it was a very good one! Because of all this my transplant is put back another two weeks. I also point out that my apparent allergic reaction to the plasters has become a wider spread rash on my chest. I am to be seen by a dermatologist next week.

We have a busy weekend with Anna, Nick and Eva here Thursday and Friday nights and Linda and Paul, Friday through to Sunday. My taste buds are still a bit all over the place. I enjoy my beer and sandwich at the Royal Oak and discover that I am the only one of us who actually likes Fortisips! I have concluded that the great taste suppressant is most definitely the Itroconazole, as eating a lunchtime is far more pleasurable than breakfast or dinner. The weekend is spoiled by England’s losing in the Rugby World Cup Final and Lewis Hamilton’s failing to win the F1 Racing Championship in his first year.