Peter’s Hospital Diary

I’m writing this a bit later today, partly because Sundays are a bit quiet and there wasn’t much new to write about this morning, and partly to try and ‘break the mould’! You also had the second post yesterday about the delay in letting me out. I must admit to bing a bit crestfallen at the news, but feel OK about it today (just as well, nothing much I can do about it!)

Just to inject some amusement I have taken a couple of photos, which Mark (blogmaster) has reduced to a size suitable for this entry (I don’t have any photo-editing software with me). They are not works of art, but we had some fun taking them – I hate posing for photos – I won’t post any of the earlier ones! I hope it will reassure you that it is the right Peter whose blog you are following.

At least the weather has changed and it was a sunny St Pauls greeted me this morning, after a fitful night’s sleep. The main cause of this was the intravenous drip of saline and the consequential effects. I also felt very ‘fluey’ on waking up, aching joints, but these have eased during the day.

Breakfast was much as yesterday – the Calcium tablets have the finger pointed at them and although I nibbled two very carefully last night without ill effect, I have been very circumspect about them today!

To my surprise, the Cyclosporin was given orally this morning (and I had none last night) but that was a also a surprise to the Registrar n the ward round. He explained that the change back to IV was because of some of the other symptoms (which I won’t dwell on!!) which made uptake from the gut unreliable at the moment. My levels were OK yesterday, but perhaps now that the gastric problems are passing, I might stay on oral tablets. The main reason for keeping me here is to establish the correct dose: too high, risk of kidney damage too low, risk of GvH; so it is important to get it right!

My parents arrived to visit early in the afternoon, bringing with them a real home cooked food – a lemon drizzle cake – so we had ‘Afternoon Tea’ just before they left! (And you get to see my father’s talent with a camera)

I suppose I can’t really close without mentioning the food! Lunch was fish pie, looked OK, but the smell… and dinner which cottage pie and was quite tasty!

And finally, my fellow patient Mark’s count came up spectacularly and he went home for the weekend! (But will be back Monday) Don’t close off that tunnel, Mark, I’ll be right behind you!