Mistake and MRI results

I had an appointment on Wednesday at Chester hospital. It’s the first time I have been back to Chester since my transplant. I arrived at about 9am and had my bloods taken. It was really nice to be back in Chester, it is a much nicer waiting area than Liverpool, nice and bright, TV, comfy seat and lovely staff.  After a short wait I went in to see Dr Lee, he asked how I was doing and after I explained that I was going to Liverpool on Friday to find out the results about my MRI because of my shoulder he asked if they mentioned about my haemoglobin being really low! He said it was seriously low and is a concern, which had me really worried!! He was looking through his notes and asked me when I had my transplant, I told him the 26th, at which he still looked blank…… ‘of August’ I said. He was surprised and flicked through his notes again and then apologised as he realised that he had called me back into Chester too early, he thought I had my transplant in June, as they see people three months after their transplant.

Knowing that it had only been just over a month since my transplant he said my haemoglobin was actually very good for only a month and being anaemic is normally at this stage. Phew! he had me worried at first.

He gave me a printout of my blood results to take to Liverpool with me on Friday, to save me having to have more blood taken and also so I didn’t have to wait the usual long wait in Liverpool for my blood to be taken.

Friday at Liverpool I was walking past the Phlebotomy room and glanced through the window to see if there was anyone I  knew waiting. I had to have a double take as at first I didn’t recognise anyone, but noticing someone knitting I realised it was Paula – she has hair, I nearly didn’t recognise her. I went in and had a quick chat with her and she is doing ok and it was good to see her again.

They were short staffed at the clinic, but I didn’t have to wait too long as I already had my blood results. I got called in by Edwina who is the BMT coordinator,  who was covering for everyone. She is a lovely person and always goes through things thoroughly. The MRI results showed that I have a ‘bulge’ in my spine at t1/t2 which is at the top of my neck. Edwina asked if it was ok to refer me back to Chester to deal with it as it would initially require physiotherapy and it would save me having to travel to Liverpool just for this. My neutrophiles are still low at 1.9 but this could be due to the septrin again which I have started again this week. I have to go in again on the 28th to the day ward on 10z but as for attending the G-clinic, I have now been discharged and referred back to Chester – Hooray!  Dr Lee had already made an appointment for January to see me, which is when they will be able to see how successful the transplant has been in reducing my para-protein. This is the appointment that Dr Lee thought I was attending, so hopefully by then my bloods should be ok and I wont get any shocks.