A Low Key Christmas

Monday 24th to Sunday 30th December 2007

Monday is as downbeat as the weekend for me. I just about manage to finish the Christmas decorations but my heart isn’t really in it. My mood is worsened by the sad news of the death yesterday of the legendary Oscar Peterson. Such a consummate pianist; he played with the greats of jazz for over 50 years and was truly great himself. One of my all time favourites - as my record collection attests. We go to Christmas Eve Mass at 9pm and I am heartened by Father Tony’s homily, in which he mentions how hard a year it has been for so many people in our Parish community, through illness, bereavement, or whatever.

Because there was always uncertainty about whether I might be in hospital at Christmas, we had told Anna and Matthew to do their own things. So we have a quiet Christmas Day, just the two of us, but plenty of phone calls. Having said that we go to Sarah and Paul’s for a pre-lunch drink and lots of little sausages, etc. Incidentally my Christmas present from Sarah and Paul is a superb selection of beers! Readers may be starting to believe that I may have a little drink problem. Not so! I don’t drink spirits and my yearning for a beer extends to a pint per day - or maybe two at weekends and festive occasions. With my needing to put on a bit of weight, this is no bad thing, especially as my taste for wine is still in serous decline. We eventually sit down for our lunch of stuffed turkey breast at 5.30pm - and it was absolutely superb. Easy to cook, easy to cut and easy to eat! I suddenly discover that - wonder of wonders - my appetite has come back. I reckon it is the Omeprazole, with the possible assistance of regular spoonfuls of yogurt with my breakfast. Allelulia! It feels like the tide has turned!

We have Boxing Day lunch at Matthew and Charrise’s with three very excited granddaughters. Once again I get stuck into a super lunch of home made chicken and tarragon pie. Great cooking Matthew!

I have a full Thursday afternoon at the RSCH, firstly having a Pentamidine nebuliser, then blood samples and line care and lastly seeing Dr. Paul Hill. Thursday is his “duty day” at Brighton and I am very pleased to see him. He answers questions that had come to us following the consultation with Steve Devereux on the 21st. He tells me that I have had a very good response to the treatment, but at a cost. I have not had or needed any treatment since July, so in theory I have been in remission since then, albeit with lots of other problems! - ongoing chest infection type problems since late August for example. The length of the remission is unknown as there is insufficient history of the CamPred treatment trial to give any estimate. He acknowledges the promise in the new Revlimid treatment but his view is that they should now leave me alone and let me get my strength back. Revlimid would be probably be appropriate at whatever time my CLL returns. He does not think a transplant for me is now an option. Quote: “ we wouldn’t really want you as a statistic.” I know exactly what he means and am mentally already ahead of him.

This is not a good day as news comes through of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the hope of democracy and some degree of sanity in Pakistan. All hell breaks loose over there. Meanwhile all hell breaks loose in my lungs as the nebulizer has loosened up loads of stuff and I am now coughing for England! My weight today is up from last week to 72.2 kgs and my Neutrophils are 1.9, so I give myself a GCSF injection tonight as I have to keep above 2.0.

Linda and Paul come down from Leicester on Saturday to share the New Year with us. It’s great to have company but it is nonetheless a fairly quiet weekend, with lots of smoked salmon sandwiches - thank you Daphne! - and turkey pie.