After dropping the car and Charito off this morning I drove over to Liverpool, parked up and took the small walk across the road to the hospital. I realised though that when I parked up that I didn’t have my man-bag with me that I usually carry my notepad and things in. I’m still not sure where it is, but I think I left it in the back of my own car. I called the garage to see if I left it in the office, but they hadn’t seen it, so hopefully it is still in the car somewhere.
It was good to find when I got to the outpatients that Gill the regular nurse who looks after the patients was back sorting out everything. It was a real nightmare when she was away. I understand that the other nurses weren’t able to put in 100% to us on the outpatients while they were looking after their own patients on the ward as well as trying to take care of us, but perhaps they should realise how much work Gill does and how good she is at her job. She was really missed by us regulars and could definitely see the difference.
Gill does a wonderful job of organising things and wont stop until we have all been looked after, sometimes, in fact most of the time being left on her own without getting a drink or a break for many hours as she constantly whips from from room to room organising Pentamadine or setting up bloods, cleaning dressing, podding results, etc, etc the list goes on. She needs help and assistance, so if anyone is reading this from the ward, don’t forget about Gill in outpatients, just because she is on her own, doesn’t mean she should be. Let get the new rooms sorted that we have all been looking forward to seeing that we have been promised and make it into something special, just like Gill.
Well after Gill had looked after me and I had a list of jobs for her to do… FBC, Full Profile, Paraprotein, Cross Match, Chimerism and dressing replaced with new statlock I was off back down from the 10th floor to the ground again to wait for my results. I did the normal thing of Checking in at the desk, getting weighed and then nip back out again to the cafe just outside (the room that is not the building) to have a coffee and a cake to pass the normal hour at least while the blood waiting for the blood results. There were a few familiar faces around, but none of the ones I usually chat too, Adam was on the ward, he may be home for the weekend (hopefully) and Paula was I think on the ward as well, unless she had managed to go home, which I’m pretty sure she would have done as she seems to be doing really well at the moment. After having my drink I went back in an Pete, one of the younger patients, well a lot younger than me, ok a lot lot lot younger than me was there, so I had a chat to him, but as he didn’t need to wait for the results he nipped in before I did.
It eventually came my turn to go and see Dr Salim and although I had left my bag somewhere with my notebook in I think I managed to cover everything I normally would. I wont get the results from the Chimerism for about a couple of weeks, this will show me how much of my DNA has turned into Nigels DNA and how well the graft has gone. I’m going to have my T-Cells checked next week to check my Immune system, which is part of the same process, so that will be another test I’m looking forward to getting the results from, hopefully they will be good, they do expect them to be really low at the moment though which is normal at this stage (I have a sneaky feeling though that I might surprise them!). The paraprotein levels I wont know until next week, so a bit of waiting game with that one. I’m eager to see the results of that one as it is the main one I like to go by for obvious reasons, too much of this and I die quicker, but I’m hoping that it has lowered or at the very least holding an not pouring into my blood stream, I’m not up to dying just yet, I still haven’t sorted out all the things from the attic
My main blood results came back while I was there and yet again they are really good and I don’t need anything doing.
HB: 9.5
Platelets:47
WBC:4.6
Neutrophils: 3.4 the highest they have been for ages, in fact I can’t remember when they were last that high!
I even had some more good news, Dr Salim was suggesting that after next weeks visit I may only have to go to the hospital once a week and after that even fortnightly. That would make such a difference to my life not having to attend the hospital most days and to cut out all of the travelling and expense that I have incurred going backwards and forward to the hospital in Liverpool. Let hope everything holds up and they go as well as they are doing. I feel as though things are finally going my way and that with the vitamins and new drugs I’m on as well as trying to manage my diet is having a seriously positive effect on the Myeloma and it’s something that I personally can influence, rather than just taking tablets that some pharmaceutical company has recommended that I take or try.
The temperature outside is dropping and I hope it doesn’t snow. My brother Nigel was supposed to be travelling over to see me tomorrow with his son, but it might be safer to cancel that if it snows as they may get stuck or just spend the whole day waiting in traffic.
I will let you know any further development on all things as soon as I do. Keep warm in this cold weather wherever you are in the world.
