Peter’s Hospital Diary

The brain is a funny thing. I was driving to work this morning, listening to the radio, when a song by KT Tunstall was played. It wasn’t announced as such, but she has quite a distinctive voice and style of music, and it instantly transported me back in time to 2004, when her first album was released with the single “Under The Weather”. Why? Because at the time it was released, I was going through one of the (many) courses of chemotherapy as an outpatient, and that song was frequently played on the radio in the background at the Haematology Day Unit! Having started that link, my brain then jumped to David Gray’s “Hospital Food” which was also a popular song playing at the same time. Strange how seemingly innocuous things can trigger powerful memories!

It also recalls to mind a conversation I was having with Simon recently. Being touched by cancer is quite a profound experience, and we were saying that life will never quite be the same again. Not necessarily better or worse, but just different. Partly I think because it is a potent reminder of ones own mortality, and because to survive a life threatening situation has an effect – although the brain is remarkably adaptive and soon gets on with the business of ‘getting your life back”!

Simon finished his chemotherapy yesterday, but not before the side effects of his treatment dealt him another little sideswipe. On Tuesday he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his arm, so welcome to the Clexane Injectors Club Simon! Fortunately he only has to inject for 6 weeks (and my six months worth has just finished) but something he could have happily done without! Still, the chemo is done and now he can look to the future!

I have also had news from fellow blogger John, who has recently posted on his blog. Followers will know that he has had a pretty tough time of it, but from his latest post, things may be looking up, with the adaptations to his house going ahead, and the possibility that he may be referred for consderation for the photo-pheresis treatment for his GvHd.

I was also intrigued to find a new commenter on the blog, which links to another ‘patient blog’. I haven’t looked at it in depth, but there is a link here. Once I have looked at it I’ll consider posting the link in the blogroll.

And fellow blogmaster Mark has written up his French Farmhouse blogs with a more comprehensive report of our week out in France, and some other photographs – details here!

So on those notes – Onwards and Upwards!