Sunday… a lovely lie-in – NOT!

Well, I was spared the pneumatic drills this morning – to be replaced by the banshee wails of the petrol driven stone-cutters at 7:30! Oh well, too much bed can’t be good for you!

So I was awake bright and early, and only dozing for the morning observations. This was followed by breakfast a double portion of Alpen – must be those steroids!

But to catch up from yesterday…

I noticed reduction in the swelling and an improvement in my speech when I woke up, and Felicity (who arrived yesterday morning, just before the ward round) also noticed it. Good news! The ward round was conducted by my old friend Dr Robert Carr. As I have said before, Robert was the physician I first saw when I was referred here 7 years ago, and although a ‘Leukaemia man’ I have always regarded him as my overseeing consultant, although at the the moment I am under the immediate care of the transplant and lymphoma team of Dr Kazmi and Dr Yeung (Linny). But I digress (as usual!).

Robert’s comment was that the dose of Methyl Prednisolone (1 Gram) was the therapeutic equivalent of a sledge hammer, and that was followed up by a second dose of 500mg that morning. However he did say that when the current saline infusion was complete, there was no reason why we should stay on the ward, so at 12 o’clock we were free to leave for a while.

Now we had a difficult decision to make – to stay for lunch or go out for a Chinese? That took all of 5 milliseconds to decide so after the hospital lunch… No, we shot off, found a little Thai restaurant (the Chinese was closed) not far from the hospital, had lunch and then went and chilled for the afternoon at our friend’s flat (Marian – thank you) round the corner.

We got back just before 6 (just in time to miss the evening meal) for the drug round, and I started the Thalidomide that Felicity had brought up from home. Felicity left an hour later and I settled down for a quiet night. Unfortunately it was discovered that I should have been on more saline so I had another bag overnight, and this morning started on the last of yesterday’s!

This morning I have showered, and I am waiting for the third dose of steroids and back on the saline. The swelling has gone down again, so I am reasonably optimistic about being discharged tomorrow, unless there are developments in the treatment regime. At least when I get home I can correct the spelling mistakes!

So onwards and upwards – let’s get the acute problem sorted and then on with treating the underlying cause!

3 Responses to “Sunday… a lovely lie-in – NOT!”

  1. Stephen on 15 Oct 2006 at 8:08 pm #

    Peter:
    I have just done some catching up over the weekend as our telephone line has been down for over a week! Actually, we did have a line into the house but not to any of the extensions including my study. To cut a long story short BT arrived yesterday and sorted it out – and removed a DAX exchange which used to deal with out three lines in the pre-broadband days.
    It has obviously been a it up and down but sounds as though you will soon be back on course. I can actually visualise you in Guys having seen you there! The travelling must be hard on Felicity – hope you are soon back at home. Seems likely as I read in today’s paper treatment is increasingly to be at home to save money. Gill is starting a minor injuries clinic in the kitchen!

    Cheers
    Stephen

  2. Gillian on 16 Oct 2006 at 9:05 am #

    Well, sounds like a drastic way to go about getting your pimms delivered intravenously – ever tried liquidising it??!!

    Seriously, hope you manage to get your (a)cute problem under control – hope it is small and fluffy by now

    Gillian

  3. Peter on 16 Oct 2006 at 6:13 pm #

    Stphen,

    Glad you got the ‘phones started – minor injuries could be a lucrative little earner!

    Good to be home again, I must say – now to continue O&U!

    Gillian,

    Good idea with the liquidiser! Still not sure about the mulled wine though!