Peter’s Hospital Diary

Hard to believe, but today is the second most important anniversary of the week – it is 104 weeks since I had the transplant (the actual annual anniversary is on the 19th – but today it is a whole number of weeks) so it was fitting that I should have a check up today!

It all started routinely with the usual armful of blood, and a chat with one of Dr Kazmi’s team. However I did get a ticking off for not ringing in about the cold that I had over Christmas and told that if I develop another bad one, I should let them know (but not go into the clinic so I don’t spread it about!) It seems that they had quite an epidemic over the Christmas period! Anyway, it was decided that I should have a ‘Nasal Pharangeal Aspiration” – basically suck some gunge out of my nose to check for infection. If you recall the scene from “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” where Harry sticks his wand up the nose of the Mountain Troll, you’ll get the general idea.

However that was delayed as the day unit was very busy so I went off to have my lung function test. Volumes were OK, gas transfer function still a bit down, so another test in two months! Then back to the Day Unit where Nicky (who was the Staff Nurse on Samaritan ward) carried out the procedure. No fellow transplant patients in the Clinic today (although lots of recently transplanted patients!)

The journey home was a pain. I just missed a direct train, but a helpful (or not-so-helpful) member of SouthWest Trains advised me to get an alternative train and change at Havant. Unfortunately he told me the wrong station and I should have changed at Fratton, so I missed the connection, had to go on to Portsmouth, where I received a load of grief from another member of staff about being ‘off route’ – just before the train I wanted was cancelled! At that point I had a sense of humour failure and (to their credit) SW Trains laid on a taxi to take me to my destination station where I could collect the car. A 90 minute journey took just over three hours. (And don’t get me started on the StageCoach Bus Adverts, while Stagecoach are cutting local services! – Stagecoach own SW Trains)

Anyway, the good news from the day is that my bloods counts are pretty much back to normal and I can stop one of the anti-biotics. Kidney function tests at the last visit showed creatinine levels were up slightly but they will see what today’s are like when they come back from the lab. Next check-up is in two months time – in March!

Onwards and Upwards!