Peter's Hospital Diary

It feels strange to be week-ending again – in fact the first time I have done it since I started writing the blog, although prior to 2006 it was pretty much the norm. So all the usual ‘home’ activities have to be packed into the weekend. Yesterday morning I had the car serviced, and made arrangements for an eye test and order some contact lenses. The rest of the time was spent sorting out the washing from last week, and some administration activities (change of VAT rate on the accounting system and so on – and raising the end of month invoice!) However we did go out with Sue, Mark and Gabor on Saturday night!

It has been cold today and we have had the first open fire of the season, but I am now pretty much packed for an early start tomorrow morning back to work – with the rest of the week in the hotel. I think I know what the Wi-Fi problem was, so I hope I will have a bit more success this week!

Anyway, on that note – Onwards and Upwards!

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I have finally managed to connect to the hotel’s Wi-Fi network – only taken two days to get the laptop connected, although the PDA connected almost immediately!

The hotel is near the office, and more convenient than travelling backwards and forwards each day. I seem to be settling in, the project is interesting, so I hope the contract lasts beyond the initial three months!

Onwards and upwards!

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Lots of changes this week, and I did start a post on Thursday, but didn’t get round to finishing it!

I had my monthly dose of ECP on Monday and Tuesday, followed by a quick call in at the day unit at Guy’s for another NPA, then it was back home for an early night for an early start for my new job! The location is about 75 miles away, so it is quite a commute, and for the first three days I have been travelling daily. However it means a really early start, and a late return, so I have booked myself into a hotel this week, and I shall be going up this evening. The hotel will be a little more expensive than driving (in terms of fuel) but better for me as I won’t need a six o’clock start for the ninety minute to two hour journey! In following weeks I will probably travel up early Monday morning. Anyway, it is good to be doing some work, the job looks interesting, and although it is currently a short contract, I hope it will be extended later.

I haven’t heard anything back from Guy’s, so I guess the NPA was all clear!

So lots of new and interesting things – very much O&U!

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Phew – busy week! First thing on the agenda was to complete my coursework. which should have been submitted last Sunday. However I was given a week’s extension while I was in hospital, and I finished it this evening. The other activity has been the preparations for the new job, which I hope will be starting on Wednesday. I have been sorting out the last few details, and now just need to sign the contract (initially three months) and I am hot to trot! I shall be commuting daily initially, but as it is a 150 mile round trip, I shall be looking for some short term accommodation.

Tomorrow I am up in London for two days of ECP, and also to have my cold monitored. I am still a bit snuffly, but I hope it isn’t anything serious – don’t need any show stoppers at the moment!

So lots of changes and new things to do – very much Onwards and Upwards!

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Back home again, and in fact I was actually discharged on Monday, and arrived home in the evening, but yesterday seemed to go in a haze of catching up on the last week, and I felt surprisingly weak, so I didn’t get round to the blog!

Many thanks to Mark for posting the update, I was looking for available wireless networks, but couldn’t find any!

The stay itself was uneventful – a bit of hydration, a couple of big doses of imunoglobulin to give my immune system a boost, and three lots of drug given by a nebuliser (lasting 2 hours a time) a day to actively fight the virus!

It felt really strange being back as an in-patient. I was in a side room on Hedly-Atkins ward – opposite Samaritan where I had the transplants. I suppose it felt odd because the last time I was in hospital for anything like this was the trip to Southampton – nearly two years ago – and all that happened around that time, and I suppose psychologically I have placed all that in my ‘old life’ and with new beginnings on the job front etc, it was a bit of a reminder! However it all passed uneventfully- the only worrying bit being that the staff came into the room wearing respirators and goggles to protect them against the nebuliser fumes that I was breathing directly!!

The nurses where great – it is always invidious to name names, but Ahmed and Suzy were great fun – but thank you all!

One other thing I noted was the food. I have been fulsome in my criticism of the hospital food system, but I noticed a dramatic improvement in the quality! Food now appears to be supplied in bulk and plated up on the ward, so it doesn’t sit there drying out on plates in transit. Much better!

While I was in hospital, I had a phone call offering me a job on the basis of the interview I attended last Monday (2nd) which I have accepted and I start next week!

So on all fronts – Onwards and Upwards!

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Talked to Peter this afternoon and he is in good form. He dictated the following:

Feeling well, expect to be in for another 2-4 days. Tests tomorrow to see how well the treatment is going. Biggest problem is boredom. But the good news is that the food seems to have improved.

Treatment – nebuliser three times a day. Immunoglobulin to support the immune system while the nebuliser attack the bugs!

Unfortunately no internet access but I will respond when I am back home!

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Hmm – looks like I spoke too soon – just had Guy’s on the phone – I have a potentially nasty viral infection that needs urgent treatment – 5 days in hospital. Will post more when I know more or when I get back!

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I didn’t stay up for the US election (not something I had a stake in) but the predicted landslide happened, so we will see what the next few months brings!

On the domestic front. tme seems to be flying by at the moment – with quite a lot happening. Socially we had a lovely evening on Saturday – thank you Tim and Ingrid, although since then we seem to have caught some cold (possibly from Vicki, who has been suffering along with Olivia and Tom (although if course in my case it will be man ‘flu – another reason for not staying up!). I also spent some hours up in the attic fixing an overflow pipe, which triggered a few aches and pains working in the confined space!

Things on the employment front looked up at the end of last week, with an e mail on Friday saying that a prospective client would like to interview me on Monday. That seemed to go reasonably well, aklthough I haven’t heard anything since. However the big event was the trip to Guy’s yesterday for the check-up and the results of the PET scan – which was clear! Big sigh of relief, although I was telling myself that if it hadn’t been, I would have heard by now!

The cold/’flu was noted with concern, so I had the by now familiar NPA and an anti-biotic prescription. It also seems that my immunoglobulin levels are still low. Immunoglobulin is made by B lymphocytes, and while I have plenty of those, they don’t seem to be working that efficiently. They should pick up over time, but in the meantime I am going to have a transfusion of them to ‘tide me over the winter’. The transfusion takes about 5 hours and the effects last about 10 weeks, so I am going up next Tuesday. I wasn’t too keen on the idea initially, but I think that is a psychological thing – I am keen to get on with new things and this is a reminder that I am still not quite recovered! On the other hand, liver function markers were all good and generally I am considered to be in good shape!

I also saw Rachel, the dietician, (briefly) who was pleased to note my slow weight gain!

So all in all – Onwards and Upwards!

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