Peter’s Hospital Diary

And an eventful one too! However I ought to tell you about the main event of Christmas afternoon, the ceremonial harvesting of the first lemon from the lemon tree! We have been looking at this particular lemon, which formed soon after we bought the plant last February, as a favourite for the Christmas G+T, and so it was carefully selected and plucked! And as you can see, it was a beauty. Now the observant among you might ask why it is GREEN? Well the answer is that this particular tree is a hybrid cross between a lemon and a lime, and the fruit is supposed to have an excelent flavour! Not wrong! The peel definitely has a lime tang to it, but the flesh is a very juicy and tangy lemon flavour! Well worth waiting for! There are about another dozen in various stages of development, with another 10 or so embryonic lemons from the recent flowering. Next harvest may be Easter! For the horticulturely minded, the variety is “La Valette” and it came from Crocus although the one they have listed now looks slightly different!

Sadly, as far as health went, Cristmas Day was about as good as it got! You saw me enjoying the one glass of alcohol that I had over the week, as my mouth became sorer, and I seemed to become steadily weaker. I did manage Christmas lunch, but the bit I really enjoy, the cold meats and pickles on boxing day, were completely lost to me, and my appetite just drained away.

Thursday was expected to be my neutropenic nadir, but I felt very weak that morning, to the extent that I don’t think I would have made it if Felicity hadn’t come with me. I saw the boss himself, Dr Kazmi, and I was fully expecting to get a blood transfusion, and possibly some platelets, as I had been getting some slight nose bleeds. However I was surprised to find that my Hb was just over 9 (It felt as if should be 7!) and platelets were OK too. (50, as opposed to 150-400) but still OK) However, my neutrophil count was way down, to the stage that if I had been in hospital, I would probably have been in isolation! And this accounts for the general feeling of lethargy and the mouth sores. So it was down to the pharmacy to get some GCSF injections (my poor shiny new bone marrow must be wondering what sort of host it has come to) and then home. However concern was noted at my ongoing weight loss, and the dreaded naso-gastric tube was mentioned again, so I have started the hi-calorie milk shake mix, which actually tastes better than it sounds!

I don’t have to go back to Guys until next year – well, Tuesday to be precise – where my blood will be checked again, and if I am recovering well, I should get another dose of chemo later that week! However I expect the GCSF will do its stuff, and my neutrophils should bounce back, and the mouth ulcers clear up. At least then eating will be a bit more of a pleasure! While I was up at the clinic, I saw Rob (SPR) and the Lovely Linny, who seemed to have had a good Christmas. I think they deserve it!

And finally, some good news! Those who remember the comments I made about earliest sunset being on 13 December, will need no reminder that today and tomorrow are the latest sunrise, and as from the weekend, the mornings start getting lighter, although with the weather forecast as it is, don’t expect much just yet!

Onwards and Upwards!