Thursday… PET scan results… and…
May 25th 2006PeterPost Hospital
Good news! The scan showed that while there is still a little bit of activity, the amount is much less than the last scan, showing that the incoming immune system is continuing to fight the good fight!
Although I did have a warm feeling about the result, I’m sure that you can imagine how enormously relieved I feel to get confirmation! I saw the pictures and there is just a small dot adjacent to my spine, where previously there had been a realatively large mass leading up alongside – absolutely tremendous!
So what now? Well, I will probably have another PET scan in a few months time, and I still have the residual GvHd (a small price to pay) but at last I feel I can really start thinking about the future. Although I have been making some plans (the diving in October for example) I now feel that they are a distinct robability, rather than a hopeful possibility, and I may be able to return to work in August. This has important consequences for the actual job that is being held open for, as it is likely that could have fallen through if the scan result had not been as good. So at last I feel that I might be getting my life back. I only wish my anonymous donor could share in it!
Meanwhile back in the clinic I saw my fellow patient Mark, who you will recall had his transplant at about the same time as me. He was looking well, but his transplant has not been quite so successful so he may have to have another in September. Mark, we all on your side – hang on in there and enjoy the holiday you have planned.
City Hospital were on hand to film the news – that film is being edited this afternoon to form the final bit of the ‘feature’ which will be shown tomorrow morning.
It has been a long journey (7 years and 3 transplants since diagnosis) but there really is the prospect that the lymphoma might be beaten. I don’t want to count chickens before they have hatched – mantle cell lymphoma is notoriously difficult to erradicate – but…
Onwards and Upwards!
13 Responses to “Thursday… PET scan results… and…”
Richard Bushrod on 25 May 2006 at 6:01 pm #
Hip, Hip……..well what good news.
ONWARDS………and……..UPWARDS………diving again soon.
Off to uncross all that stuff.
Richard 🙂
John on 25 May 2006 at 6:10 pm #
Hey Peter Great News All Round. Good on you too!! Being able to start to maybe think about planning for the future must be a great feeling, i know i miss that part of life quite a lot at times.
Did you get to see that nutter Ainsley Harriot while you were there?? i wouldn’t mind some of what he’s on at times to keep me going ha ha!!
As far as the Anonymous donor is concerned isn’t there the option of maybe writing a letter of thanks and news of your progress etc to the Register for them to pass on to the Donor?? i’m not quite sure how it works mind you as mine was from my Baby Sister so never had cause to look into it at all. Just a thought!!
Stupid me forgot about your Grand Performance tomorrow and i’ve gone and booked a PUVA apoinment for 9.30 Doh!!! Never fear though Mumsy Dearest is recording it for me, wouldn’t miss it for the world!!
See Ya!!
Peter on 25 May 2006 at 6:10 pm #
Richard – Be careful – all that uncrossing may lead to a release in pressure!
John – Many thanks – certainly good to be able to think about the future! Didn’t see Ainsley while I was there! A letter was sent to the Donor via the Anthony Nolan Trust about a few weeks after the transplant – I must check up with the transplant nurse to see if it is possible to send an update. Hope the PUVA goes well tomorrow!
Stephen Benson on 25 May 2006 at 9:32 pm #
Peter:
I am so pleased. You have been in my thoughts every day – the power of thought!!
Stephen
Mark on 25 May 2006 at 9:53 pm #
Peter,
I hope you don’t get this message twice, as I seem to have lost the first one! It was good to see you looking so well and great news. I just thought I’d let you know that my results showed no signs of cancer, although there are only 18% of my sister’s cells left in my bone marrow. We’ve got to decide whether or not to try another transplant to see if my sister’s cells will take over. Alternatively, we can just wait and see what happens in the future as it is impossible to know how long the remission will last. The best news is that I will be able to go on summer holidays!
Mark (fellow patient)
Carol - Sister of Mark on 26 May 2006 at 1:44 am #
Hi Peter,
Fantastic news on your treatment and wish you all the best in your diving. Thats one thing I could never do.
I know your anonymous donor is definately thinking of you.
Carol
Peter on 26 May 2006 at 8:41 am #
Hey Mark, brilliant news! I’m so pleased for you! (Although Richard may feel the need to start crossing things again!) Enjoy the holiday planning – I’m sure I’ll see you in the clinic before you go. I wonder how Jean is getting on? (For other readers, Jean was the other transplant patient on the ward in Janauary) (Found te second post – I’ll remove it!)
Stephen – many thanks – we’ll have abeer or three next time we meet up!
Carol – Thank you!
Dawn on 26 May 2006 at 9:24 am #
Good morning Peter
Great News! I’ve have been like a cat on a hot tin roof waiting to hear how it had gone. I kept checking the blog last yesterday afternoon just in case you were back early enough to post before i left the office.
How wonderful it is that you can now make plans and get on with your life, looking forward to seeing you in Worcester sometime soon. Be good.
Love & Stuff
Dawn x
Frances on 26 May 2006 at 10:42 am #
Fantastic!
Hope to see you soon.
Love
Frances
Richard Bushrod on 26 May 2006 at 11:04 am #
Well who was the body double on City Hospital? Good job well done and did you hear AH say ONWARDS and UPWARDS. Not just gardeners then.
Keep well.
Let us know how the diving goes in October.
Richard
Unhappy Max
Peter on 26 May 2006 at 11:58 am #
Thank you all – 10 coments – that must be a record (or is that just a disc of black plastic with a hole in the middle?)
Richard Bushrod on 26 May 2006 at 3:26 pm #
Plastic, PLASTIC !!
Shellac resin so that Blue Peter like we can make things from them any way apart from the odd vinyl that is what I last bought………….:0
Will you get fan letters from City Hospital?
I feel like writing to the poducer to get them to come to one of our local hospitals as it appears that performance is very good in front of the camera. At the Kent and Sussex waits of up to the standard 4 hours are not uncommon…………..
I have never liked the thought of matrons and certainly didn’t fancy the one featured today.
Have a great weekend and relax again…..as relaxed as a newt.
Dad on 26 May 2006 at 5:14 pm #
Hi Peter
Thrilled to read your blog with the good news. Will be in touch.