So, you like a bit of winter walking, eh?
And making Snow Angels is getting a tad boring?
Maybe you should have a go at this:
Yeah, I can sense your surprise. A post that's not all about me. Make the most of it.
Archive for 2016
Simon Beck – Snowartist
Arse versus Elbow
Friday was spent in the Day Ward having bloods taken and tested, and having another bag of platelets put in. Neutrophil level still zilch.
Sent home.
When I had zero neutrophils during Cycle 1 it was mandatory that I be kept in because they needed to be monitoring me several times a day, the air was super-ultra-mega-filtered, and temperatures were tightly controlled. By "kept in", I mean in the ward. Going off-ward was a no-no while I had no "newts". Going outside was a danger akin to joining a leper colony. Home was an incredibly dangerous place to be, because of the risk of picking up bacterial, viral and/or fungal infections.
Now, with zero neutrophils during Cycle 2, I probably couldn't get admitted even if I contracted rabies and had been run over by a bus. Seems that I no longer need to be monitored around the clock, nor do I need super-ultra-mega-filtered air, nor controlled temperatures. Home has not changed, but Home is now good, together with the exact same risk of picking up the exact same bacterial, viral and/or fungal infections.
Seems that the required care regime has been edited to suit the circumstances and is suddenly much less directly related to the severity and consequences of the illness.
I do wish that they would start singing from the same hymn-sheet. One that has been agreed and approved by everyone in the loop. On Wednesday the doc said that he would admit me, but he was over-ruled by a specialist consultant and I was sent home with instructions to continue to attend Day Ward every day. This afternoon a different doc said that the daily visits to Day Ward would continue through the weekend and into next week, but she was over-ruled by a specialist consultant and I was sent home with a different plan - only attend Day Ward on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Oh, and I'll be getting another 2 cycles of chemo just for good measure. They way things are going they won't have me in for the chemo, they will send it by post and I'll have to pay the local plumber to administer it via an implanted radiator valve and some old garden hosepipe.
I'm trying to keep a lid on my temper whenever they change the plan, but I'm not known for my tolerance of such shenanigans.
More details
The Beeb now have hold of the story...
Leicester Royal Infirmary closes wards over swine flu.
Still no signs of the disease in yours truly.
Neutrophils now 0.00 again (as per Cycle 1), so no infection resistance. Was in Day Ward again today, was sent home yet again and was informed that the daily in-out would continue into next week.
Upping the ante
Monday was spent in the Day Ward having bloods taken and tested. Neutrophil level was clearly on the way down (0.28). Sent home.
Tuesday was spent in the Day Ward having bloods taken and tested. Neutrophil level was even further down (0.06). Sent home.
Today was spent in the Day Ward having bloods taken and tested, and having two bags of red put back in. Neutrophil level was way down (0.04), lower than when I was urgently admitted back in December. The doc said that he would admit me, but he was over-ruled by my specialist consultant. Sent home.
Thursday I have to attend the Day Ward yet again, having bloods taken and tested, and probably having a bag of platelets put in. Neutrophil level will probably be rock-bottom. No idea what the outcome will be.
Why no admission?
Well, there's a slight problem on the Haematology Ward...
Why the notices and restrictions?
The ward has 21 beds (4 rooms of 4, and 5 singles). The last time I was given any official figures (Tuesday) there were still 15 patients in there, and 8 of them had confirmed H1N1.
Apparently the plan is to get those 15 safe in order to allow decontamination of the ward, so there is a lot of bed-moving and territory negotiation involving other wards. Looks like new/re-admitted Haematology patients will be going downstairs to Oncology. Where the Oncology patients will be going I don't know.
Until the plan has been executed, it's allegedly safer for me to be at home and to travel to and from the Day Ward every day. I'm not entirely convinced.
Meanwhile, every Day Ward appointment means that Chris has to blag another day off work to drive me and my kit hither and thither. Public transport is a no-no due to infection risk, despite me being the only occupant of the train carriage when I broke the rule on Monday.
Gratuitous mugshot
Men Behaving Baldy.
Nick V-G., Uncle Fester and Michael N.
Photo by Nick.
Kicking AML’s Ass: Cycle 2 chemo complete
Woohoo! - they've finished poisoning me again! Saturday morning I had my final dose of chemo for Cycle 2. It was a "3 & 8" chemo regime, similar to the "3 & 10" previously inflicted. Later they let me out for a short respite at home, partly because I'm in rude health before my blood counts start to crash, but mainly to free up a bed for at least two nights. Back in for a Day Ward appointment on Monday.
It's not much but at least I get to watch the rugby in comfort.
