Peter’s Hospital Diary

Yesterday saw me returning to Guy’s for my check up at Guys. It is 5 years sin ce the donor transplant, and the protocol dictates that I should have a bone marrow biopsy, and on Tuesday I received a phone call saying that one had been booked for me in the Haematology Day Centre.

So I duly travelled up a little earlier to go to the Day Centre – first surprise, it had moved, and a is now located round the corner in a much enlarged and very smart facility. However, while the location and facilities are new, there were some familiar faces, particularly Orla, who used to run the unit (and has moved on, but was back yesterday to help out), Karen, whio helped look after me during my various visits to Samaritan ward, Debbie and Grace, also from Samaritan ward, and finally, as I was leaving the unit, Yvonne, who used to run the day centre at St Thomas’s, where I first started treatment many years ago! It was wonderful to see you all and to catch up with all your news.

But is was strange being back in that environment. The site of the little canulas (or should that be canulae?), the red boxes marked “Danger – Cytotoxic drugs”, and the sound of the infusion pumps brought back many memories and mixed emotions. Having been so much a part of my life, I did feel like a visitor. The new unit seemed slightly less cosy than the old, but there is no doubt that it is an improvement. I was talking about these feelings with Orla, it is almost like being part of a family, and while the circumstances were not ones to be wished for, there were some good times during the various visits.

Orla did the biopsy (a new development – previously they have been done by a doctor. Lovely job too, almost painless and today no twinges at all. She did remark that my pelvis (to be accurate, the iliac crest) was particularly tough! I also had my armful of blood removed for analysis!

I was delighted to have a long chat with Michael, about two years into his treatment – so if you are reading this, good luck with the remainder of your treatment!

After leaving the unit, I went down to the Haematology 2 clinic where I had a check up. Nothing untoward found, but the protocol dictates that I have to have a bone density scan – ironic after Orla’s comments! I am also having another lung function test which will be useful with the diving!

I finished the day with a chat with Dr Raj, before heading for the train home. It was a bit of a dash and in my hurry I dashed for the wrong train, so by the time I had backtracked, I was an hour or so later than I expected getting home.

But it was a good day, lots of memories, catching up with old friends.

Tomorrow I am going diving (sheltered water, but it will be outside, so it will be a ‘chilly dip’ – perhaps I ought to take some nachos! 🙂

Onwards and Upwards!

Tags: Haematology, Transplant