Monday… t+11
Jan 30th 2006PeterHospital Stay
Another grey day today in London, St Paul’s looks quite grubby without the sun shining on it!
A reasonable start to the day. The kidney pain seems to have gone as abruptly as it arrived. It might have been a reaction to the GCSF, or a mineral imbalance. I have started taking potassium tablets, and last night I had a magnesium infusion. That lasted 4 hours, and didn’t help the sleeplessness! I may have an utrasound scan of my kidneys just to check they are OK.
This morning followed the usual pattern, although Obs were a bit later. I felt a bit queasy this morning, not helped by breakfast which was worse than usual; so having rejected that in favour of a banana and a fortified milk drink, I treated myself to a lie-in! In fact I was still in bed when the ward round appeared.
Now for the really good news. Progress has been very good, and my neutrophil and whie blood cell count has started picking up. If this trend continues, I might be out of isolation and possibly on my wasy home by Friday! What I mustn’t do is get my hopes up, just in case this is a false dawn, and of course it isn’t the end of the process, but the start of the next phase, which is equally critical, but at least I will be an outpatient, with bi-weekly checks. That won’t be too bad as one of those will be at Southampton, so I will only be coming up to London once a week. The only downside is that I might have to take Itraconazole syrup again… (shudders involuntarily)
My parents came down yesterday for the afternoon so that passed quickly. I didn’t have any Cyclosporin as the blood analysis hadn’t come back from the lab. Over the next couple of days I will be switching to oral Cyclosporin in preparation for discharge!
I will have mixed feelings about leaving. Of course it will be good to be home, decent food, uninterrupted sleep etc, but I shall miss the wonderful staff here, who have looked after me, and of course all of you who have visited and helped the time pass so quickly.
**STOP PRESS** – Neutrophil count came back at 2.7 and I am out of isolation!!
7 Responses to “Monday… t+11”
Mark on 30 Jan 2006 at 3:23 pm #
Peter,
Congratulations! I hope to join you very soon!
My neutrophils are 0.1 and have been for a few days. I keep talking to them with the hope that they’ll divide quicker,
Mark
Dawn on 30 Jan 2006 at 3:28 pm #
Hi Peter
What wonderful news!!
Eve is away from the office today so I’ve just rung her to bring her up to date. She was chuffed too and sends her love.
Keep going at this rate and you’ll be back on the careline in no time!
Love & Stuff
Dawn
Gaynor Pritchard on 30 Jan 2006 at 3:29 pm #
I have only just got into looking at this I was out of the technolgy but now I am into it and will keep looking.
great news will you be able to see more of your family now? It is great having an account of what goes on a good diary to keep for family and freinds to keep in touch.
Keep well I will keep checking and keep the girls / Eve informed
Gaynor from Leukaemia Care
Peter on 30 Jan 2006 at 4:24 pm #
Mark (fellow patient!) – good news – fingers crossed for you – mine came up very quickly – they were 0.1 on Saturday.
Dawn (LeukaemiaCare) Thank you – and send same to Eve – fingers crossed for Friday release…
Gaynor – Thank you – yes, I am looking forward to getting out and home!
Peter
barbara crosse on 30 Jan 2006 at 8:57 pm #
Great news of the white count…it sounds as though things have gone very smoothly so far….great. Hope you get home, although it sounds as though the hospital is v. sociable!! Perhaps you can replicate the St Paul’s view at home….but not the food..
Barbara
Mark on 30 Jan 2006 at 9:35 pm #
Peter, bonnes nouvelles!
Mark
(en France rurale)
Elspeth on 31 Jan 2006 at 10:40 pm #
(I thought I’d just written, but it seems to have got lost, my apols if this is a duplicate!)
Great new re: the white count – most impressive, well done, and this despite hospital food, and well done for the Rice Krispies! Great that the kidney scan was fine/no probs.
I look forward to hearing that being homeward bound IS a reality.
Take care, don’t rush too fast!
L’n’Hs
E