Peter’s Hospital Diary

The forecast mist has materialised, St Paul’s looked very ghostly (or should that be spectral?) shrouded in the mist.

So far today has gone well, Obs at a more civilised time of 7:15 (Thank you Sinead) and I have had a visit by Sheeba (one of the medical team, and Viki – the haemotology nurse specialist. The IV Itraconazole has just been infused – I am NOT looking forward to going back to the oral form, although the rest of my drug regime is gradually changing to oral. I have just been given some calcium tablets to chew – think very finely ground strawberry (artificial medical strawberry) flavoured compressed chalk…

I’m not sure if the Hickman line will remain in place when I go – it makes taking blood and giving IV drugs very easy, but can be a source of infection and needs careful looking after.

Yesterday continued with a surprise visit to the X ray department for a chest x ray. Again I was chauffeured in a wheelchair, but I think this porter must have aspirations to be a racing driver! We shot along the corridors, wind whistling in my hair (well, it would have done if I had any…) I elected to take a gentle stroll back!

After lunch, over which we will draw a merciful veil (beige!) the sun emerged and I went to sit out of the room on the other side of the ward, which is again bereft of beds. Very pleasant in the sunlight, and then a visit by Nicki and Rachel from City Hospital.

Some of you may know that I have appeared on CH in the past, after both the self donated transplants. This time the team have been filming snapshots of my progress over the last three months, and how it has lead to the transplant. We had a natter about that, and then a general chat before they headed back to their home – walking in preparation for the Southern/ 100Km walk – good luck!

I had to smile during the afternoon. One of the hospital cleaners turned up with an industrial vacuum cleaner. The floors are all polished tiles, and so easy to clean. This cleaner was designed to clean right up into the corners and along edges – but only if it is pushed there! I don’t know when the bag was last changed or emptied, but looking in the beams of sunlight, there seemed to be more dust and fluff in the air after the cleaning effort than before! A dust redistribution exercise, rather than dust removal!

Felicity arrived just in time to witness dark beige dinner, and to take some of the surplus clothes and stuff that I have accumulated. During the course of the evening, I began to feel shivery, and my temperature started increasing – leading to the suspicion that I was developing an infection. I suppose it was inevitable really – it happened on both the last transplants, although that was when I was neutropenic. My neutrophil count today was 2.4 – slightly down on yesterday, but still within range. Anyway, at midnight I started intravenous antibiotics and this morning my temperature is back to normal, and I feel a lot better! One downside is that I might not be able to go home on Friday if I am still on the IV antibiotics – it might be delayed until Monday – but I’ll keep on lobbying!

The news of the blog has reached my fellow isolationist, another Mark, who has posted the occasional comment. Yesterday afternoon saw the arrival of Jean – her husband also asked for details. Mark will, we hope be out of isolation soon. Jean, we wish you all the best.