Wednesday 20 August 2008

Fairground Attraction

It turns out that its not just Milk Link who have been missing my regular blog updates. Many thanks for every ones messages.

Continuing from the last blog my blood counts have got even more random. First of all they continued the pattern of either having red blood cells and not having white blood cells. However on Thursday my blood counts completely collapsed. Red Blood cells disappeared and my immune system crashed (white blood cells disappeared) as well as platelets going wondering. Usually you go into to hospital and get blood tests and one of the doctors will come and look you over. You know something is up when you get multiple doctors\professors. Quantity of doctors does not necessarily mean that you get answers. The professor is convinced I have a problem with my veins which could be quite serious. The other 2 doctors are convinced its something else but don't know what. Either way they arrange some fairly hardcore treatment for me on the Monday. I need to have a minimum of a 9 hour drip on Monday and probably every day next week.

The blood count collapse as well as the need to be in hospital 8am Monday morning unfortunately means that heading to Stokesys wedding is not an option. I would have had to get the train across London Monday morning including a trip on the tube, this is to dangerous for my immune system and I doubt I'd make it to the hospital in time. Also with no red blood cells I would get tired very quickly and if I was over active it could be a little dangerous. Bugger I can't go. I don't like missing friends big events but in this case I have to consider my health first.

I did manage to pop out on Saturday night. This was more of a fact that I can't bare to sit in on a Saturday night. Took it easy sitting in the corners of Racks avoiding crowds. Chatted to several people I have not seen for awhile. Was a well needed distraction from the weeks activities and did some good in relieving the annoyance at missing Stokesys wedding.

As long as I know that I have to be in I don't really mind, its all part of the course. The Olympics have provided a brilliant distraction while in hospital anyway. Its been called in unexpected or ending up in hospital longer than you think that becomes annoying. When it happens the other way round its quite good. I'm sure the nurses have started to manage my expectations. Initially I was told that I was going to be in hospital until around 10 - 11ish (pm). With this news I sent round a speculative text to get some visitors in the evening. However I was released around 7ish. As a result instead of an evening in hospital I ended up going for dinner with the Millards, Julia and Will (King of Lao). A nice unexpected turn around. Tuesday I am meant to be be in all day. Again I get released early. I'm still however due in for at least another 2 days.

This weekend is Ollie Boulter's stag. I am hopefully going to be able to make it, but will have to make the call based on Thursdays blood counts. They have improved significantly this week but as has been proved over the last 2 weeks this can change each day. The only thing I can do is take things day by day and hope for the best. I really don't want to miss another big event of the summer but as I said earlier I may need to consider my health first. Fingers crossed.

Cheers for keeping reading, hope bad weather is not getting you down.. Summer is just around the corner.

Sunday 10 August 2008

Back By Popular Demand

Due to demand from Milk Link the blog is back... Hopefully it is up to standard.

This week has seen my blood test results continue a random pattern. While my white blood cells have recovered my red blood cells have started to slide. As well as some of the other counts behaving erratically. I have also developed permanent pins and needles in my toes, but previous joint pains have disappeared. To fix one problem the doctors adjust 1 medication but this seems to have a knock on effect elsewhere. Its like a bit like a game of Kerplunk (I hope its not just me who remembers this game). None of the issues are serious and are not causing me any real difficulties day to day, but it would be nice if the doctors get the balance right and they are sorted. Until then I'm having to spend more time in hospital getting tested and receiving infusions than I'd really like.

On the positive side of medical treatment they repeated the test on my host vs graft %. It came back and confirmed the previous results of 100%, 100% and 100%. I expected this but it was reassuring to get this back. So overall everything is still heading in the right direction the are just a lot of little niggles to get through & none of the niggles are stopping me from doing anything so I have more to be happy with.

This week to start with looked like a quiet relaxing week. But it ended up been fairly busy. I was in hospital until around 6 on Monday. I ended up receiving platelets and having a bone marrow test. While I was waiting I got a call from Monty from the rugby club, they needed someone to help with training. I managed to get a few drills together for it but its difficult when you have not played or trained for a year and have no real idea what has been done to date or what themes have been worked on\towards. Whilst I thought the session was not great feedback was ok. But in all honesty the numbers were made up of 2nd and 3rd team players, the lack of senior players meant standards were not as high as I would expect. Also the was a severe lack of basic kit, not having enough balls to run 2 sets of drills!! As a result I found the entire evening frustrating and tiring. I leave the club quite concerned about the coming season without more of the 1st team we cannot expect to finish any better than last year.. do we really want to get relegated. Concerns are voiced and a meeting is then arranged to try and sort out. I am due to help out again on Wednesday, but end up spending most of the afternoon in hospital and with low red blood counts everything is a little harder work than usual I don't make it up and spend the evening relaxing.

I was hoping to go to Dubai this year. In theory to play in the 7's. I was hoping to be back to work by now. I am signed of until at least mid October.. Dubai is the end of November. First of all I'd expect to be back to work a few months before I was fit to play rugby.. so its unlikely I'll be in a state to play in the 7's. Also it would be taking the piss at work to return part time initially then go and play in a international semi professional rugby tournament. Whilst I hope I can return to work mid October I can't guarantee this. As the previous weeks fun and games with my drugs and the effects you can only take it day by day and I may still be receiving plenty of treatment or require regular testing still in November. I'm gutted I can't go but I have to be realistic and wait another year. The is a meeting on Thursday night to to discuss Dubai. I would have been down as a definite so feel like I need to tell Rob The Tan face to face that I can't make it. Its also a good excuse to get out the flat and socialise a little.

I am meeting my old work for lunch on Friday. It is really good to catch up with everyone, although I did not get the chance to talk to everyone. Anna is leaving.. I think everyone was still in shock at this. I had a nice piece of steak, I could have actually eaten 2 of them. They are about to move offices around again, but whilst the have been a few reshuffles the does not seem to have changed the general atmosphere.

Friday night I meet with a old school\uni friend. After a day of catching up with people I decide I don't like talking about the past experiences of my treatment. Even if you talk about some of the more positive aspects you are still talking about been in hospital been ill. It sounds like your after sympathy. I don't want anyones sympathy I have far more to be grateful for than not and would rather look to the future than back onto the past. However this is difficult when meeting people you don't see very often.

Saturday brings another stag-do. I had been debating whether to go all week. With blood counts been low the was no way I could handle the whole day which would have involved going to London, back out to Ascot, back to London and out in Clapham. Also I'd expect this stag do to be quite heavy drinking event. I am still on a self imposed drinking ban so the evening would be a waste of time anyway. It would still be a long day regardless getting the train to and from Ascot from Bristol. Eventually I make my mind up that its to good an opportunity to see Stokesy get messed up to miss out on. It was also meant to be 80's fancy dress. Ideal for me to use the MC Hammer outfit. I travel up in normal clothes and get changed in a bar in Ascot.. I was expecting everyone else to arrive within 5-10 mins but they turned up around a half hour later. You get some strange looks when your in a bar by yourself dressed as MC Hammer, this set the theme for the day. The others fancy dress (apart from Wibbles and the stags) was pretty poor. Me and Wibbles stood out by a mile. Well we did not get lost in the crowd. The amount of booze been drunk did not disappoint with the golf ball game catching out a few of the group in vicious fashion. The were going to be some early casualties.

I have never come away from the races with any winnings before. I had taken the race guide from the Times. It gave recommendations for each race. I decided to bet according to the guide, it was not just backing the favorites the odds were not bad on the horses. I won on the first race. £30 up. Lost the next 2 but then on the last race I won £110. Overall I ended the day £95 better off than I started. Must be the lucky MC Hammer pants. I had hoped to try some MC Hammer dancing at the 80's event after. It was however open air and the rain was persistent it was not much fun standing round in the rain listening to Belinda Carlisie. We left earlier than planned I had to rush to get the train to reading and could not find anywhere to get changed at Reading. The result was I travelled all the way back to Bristol as MC Hammer.. the train was full of Swansea fans heading back home which made it a little more interesting. I was knackered on my return and quickly fell asleep on the sofa. Unleashing the MC Hammer outfit and dancing will have to wait awhile longer.

What next week will bring I have no idea, see what the doctors change this time and what effect it has on me. Its still a patience game and I just have to take it day by day. I wonder if I can talk the doctors into scheduling appointments around the Olympics??

Sunday 3 August 2008

Mini Hammer

I have a lot planned for this week. Especially Monday. I have been feeling well so should be able to get a lot done. I hope after having blood tests Monday morning to have lunch with the parents, visit physio and rejoin gym and in the evening it is the rugby club AGM. That was my plans...

The hospital had other ideas. I had an hour to spare before having lunch with my parents and had gone down the park. Just as I had made myself comfortable in the sun the hospital get in touch to ask me to come back in for Potassium top ups and a GSF injection. The potassium top up will take all afternoon. Meaning I won't be able to go for lunch, will have to cancel meetings with physio and manager at gym, and may struggle to make AGM. I had a potassium top up a few weeks ago and have a load of tablets in my flat. I'm convinced my potassium is low because of been in too much sun and not drinking water with any minerals in. Somehow I manage to convince the doctors of this so only need have the GSF injection. To my delight this gets done in 5 minutes and I'm able to carry on with my day as planned.

Alex M brings the MC Hammer parachute pants to the rugby club AGM for me. They are brilliant so put them on for the night. Its a little worrying that only 3 people from the rugby club comment on the trousers and everyone else considers it normal for me to be wearing the golden trousers.

I take it easy Tuesday but have been asked to meet some people from just giving on Wednesday night. Its not ideal as I know my immune system is very fragile (GSF injections are to boost white blood cell production, at present my white blood cell production has collapsed? I have no idea why, its very unusual and is the first time this has happened in around 3/4 months). I decide to go to the meeting and be careful of anything that could cause infections. They ask questions about the dodgeball fundraising and how I used just giving as well as some questions on what I thought just giving was. They paid £40 for it and fed me.

I expect the worse on my visit to hospital on Thursday. I've hardly been well behaved considering my immune system is not 100% and expect to have at least a Potassium infusion. I am starting to develop some symptoms of something going wrong. My legs are tired, bruising appearing without reason also I'm getting pins and needles in my toes. For some reason the circulation to my legs has been restricted?? I am reasonably happy to spend most of Thursday in hospital, hopefully this will mean I'll be back to normal for Dean & Sarah's wedding on Saturday. I had planned on going to the Young Professionals Summer Party but it becomes obvious that I will struggle to get out of hospital in time and I probably should not go anyway because of my immune system. Iain takes the ticket and probably needs a good night out more than I do anyway. The time in hospital passes fairly quickly with one of the nurses when not busy keeping me entertained with some magic tricks. Makes me laugh quite a lot I attempt a few without much success, but 1 works very well.

Thursdays test results were worse than Monday's. My legs had got worse on Friday and I'd started to develop headaches as well. While the was no doubt I'd make it to Dean & Sarahs wedding with this happening it would bring into question how much I'd be able to do. We travel up on Saturday and I feel a little rough. The hotel is not as impressive as it looked on the Internet, and the service booking in is not great. We meet Wibbles & Emma (+ a large bump) for lunch. Its overpriced and takes far to long. This causes us to be running behind time and a rush to get there. Considering I'm an usher this is not particularly good.

All however goes smoothly, we are there in time and Dean is not a nervous wreck. He looks brilliant in the full military uniform. Sarah arrives and looks fantastic. Both are have beaming smiles and look incredibly happy. Dean looks a little like Noddy.

The evening do goes just as smoothly. The speech's are good. Dean & Sarah both thank me for been their for them over the years. This seems silly to me as they have both been at my bedside over the last 9 months. Both have seen me at my worse and helped me remain positive and get through everything. I am so lucky to have such great friends.

Food is good and we have a good table. Banter is quite good. It gets to desert and we manage to convince the table to do NHD (a race to eat desert as quickly as possible without using your hands). I win our tables race but Jade is also quick. Even some of the elderly friends join in. It went down very well and 3 other tables followed our lead and did the same. Brilliant.

The DJ and the Cresswell clan have been told about my historic MC Hammer dancing. With my legs been the way they are I'm a little worried about trying to do this. Although I can try and dance without moving my legs it won't be the same. Early doors Vanilla Ice comes on and I end up trying to bodypop on the dance, it goes down very well but I knacker myself out. I can dance for 1 song then need a break. Luckily the DJ does me a favour and every other song is terrible giving me an excuse to sit down.

Deans nephew Kai picks up on the bodypopping and I end up teaching him some dance moves. I teach him one routine and he loves it. Over the night I teach him a few more moves. I've created a mini Robbie\Mini MC Hammer. He mirrors me on the dancefloor it is hilarious. He even does the worm and 1 arm press ups. He attempts the splits and rips his trousers.

My legs loosen up a little and while pacing myself I manage to do more dancing than I thought I would be able to do. Everyone is on fantastic form apart from the DJ who is bordering on been comically bad. It is a great night. As I'm not drinking Iain takes my place as been the drunkest person at the wedding. It is very funny watching people get steadily worse throughout the night. I still manage to have a great time and remain strong in not drinking although have the shakes all night.

My legs are sore the next day but not as bad as I was expecting. The bruising has spread to my arms and I keep getting cramp in my fingers. I don't think the doctors would be too happy with me this week, maybe this week I should listen to them and behave myself. The is a stag do in London next week. Looking at the itinerary I think I might struggle. It will be more important I make the wedding the week after. This will be a shame but going would just be asking for trouble and I would not be drinking anyway and Stokesy stag do will be one of the more vicious in this respect. A week off won't do me any harm.

I'm sure that the test results are just a minor hiccup. But until they clear up looks like I'll be in hospital a little more than I'd like. Generally however things are still good.. I got to enjoy 2 friends getting married and taught a little kid how to breakdance on the weekend. I am lucky to have been able to make it and having such good weekends means I'll be smiling all week.