Prize Fighter

I had not realised I'd left it so long since I last updated the blog. For that I apologise. I can reassure you that I am still ok, although I have some new challenges to deal with.

First of all Ollie Boulters stag... I was not sure I was going to be able to make it. Counts were bad in the build up and I was in hospital everyday of the week leading up to it. Ollie is one of my close mates from Uni who I defiantly don't catch up with enough. After missing Stokesy wedding I really did not want to miss Ollies stag do as well. But at the end of the day the decision if I could go would depend on Fridays blood counts... I needed a immune system. My doctor was an absolute legend (she thought I was going to Bournemouth for a civilised weekend) and decided that she would give me top ups of all bloods on Friday morning so I would feel\have cover for the weekend and be able to travel to Bournemouth. I'd been talking about it all week with the nurses in the hospital. I'd promised them I would not take part in the paintball or any other dangerous activities. The only person who did not know it was a stag do was the doctor.

In regards to the actual stag do, I'm not sure how much I can say. Simon (Ollies brother) had done us proud and booked us into a hotel run by 2 crack addicts. The activities were good. I actually did manage to take part in everything.. The paintball was with catapults and teams took turns running away while others shot them. I just did the shooting so did not get shot myself. We then did clay pigeon shooting.. I was rubbish.. I blame the drugs. Lastly the was a off road go-kart track. This was brilliant. I could have spent all day racing round in these buggy's. After we negotiated our way back through the gypsy camp it was straight out on the lash (although I was still not drinking). In terms of the nights out I managed to last the night both evenings although it is very wrong doing stag do's without drinking. I don't think I can say much more about the rest of the stag do.

It was bank holiday weekend so it was not until Tuesday that I was back in hospital. I was on a new drug which was hopefully going to cause my blood counts to recover. This treatment finished on Wednesday (27th). On Thursday it was decided that it had no effect. After discussions its decided that I need to up my steroid dosage... I had been tapering down and was on 5mg a day. This was now increased to 140mg a day. Steroids are evil. They effect your mood, co-ordination, sleep and appetite. I can't get any sleep, I start to get down partly due to low blood counts (everything is more effort when you have little oxygen in your blood). Not knowing what is going on with your own body is extremely frustrating, and doctors not been able to give answers is not helping. Having hospital all dayers with little progress is starting to get to me.

The weekend brings the first serious rugby of the season. OB's are competing in a tournament at Bristol Barbarians. OB's on paper were one of the top 4 sides in the tournament. They did not disappoint and got through to the final. I think the team had run out of steam by the final as they were beaten by Aretians. A great effort playing 6, winning 4, drawing 1 and losing in the final. The draw was also against Aretians, we now know what to expect in the league so hopefully we can take revenge during the season.

Professor Marks was back from holidays on Monday. Hopefully he will give some better direction to my treatment and maybe I'll get some answers. I'm booked in for a lengthy look over on Tuesday. He still believes that I have TTP. Even the prof struggles to explain what this is. It is extremely complicated but amounts to my veins turning against me and destroying my own blood. My graft is thin so is not producing enough blood to replace what is been destroyed, hence my blood counts keep collapsing. The are 2 things that need to be done. Fix my veins and try and get my donor to give me a top up of stem cells so my bone marrow can produce more blood. I'm put on another treatment of plasma cells to try and fix my veins. This treatment once again means that I'll be in hospital everyday. Treatment starts Wednesday. Hopefully this will get me back on track.

Whilst I had been down, I have managed to pick myself up again. I've already beaten 5 different types of Leukaemia and a hospital superbug. If I was a boxer on my track record you would have me down to win. I may get knocked down but I'm back up again. As I said earlier I had let the constant treatment get me down. I remind myself of the success of the charity auctions, success of dodgeball all while I was fighting Leukaemia. I need a new challenge, I need to feel like I'm still achieving something. This time I want a personal challenge. Unfortunately fun runs and exercise based challenges are out as they will only promote the destruction of my blood. I had thought of doing a triathlon based challenge (spread the distances over a week rather than do in 1 go), but the doctors would never allow it. Any ideas\challenges welcome! My positive outlook starts to return.

The weekend approaching brings Steves house party, OB's pub golf and Bristol vs Bath. I have another distraction and massive cheerup. Its fancy dress!!!

Only Steves houseparty is not fancy dress. Me, Iain and Vicky pop along Friday night. I introduce them to Shoe Jenga. This is a game where everyone removes their shoes and places in a pile. 1 shoe is then placed in the middle of the room. Everyone takes a turn in trying to balance a shoe on top of the previous shoe. A shoe tower is formed and whomever knocks it over loses. Back home by 11 to rest up for the next day.

Its Saturday. I still have to go to hospital. Its pub golf tonight and my outfit needs a few final touches. I won't be drinking tonight but acting as course photographer. Its should be a great night out. Sunday is Bristol vs Bath. We are going to this in fancy dress as well. When I say we... I really hope I'm not been stitched up. The theme is cheerleaders and I can see me been the only 1. What would make it worse is the outfit I've got is a little to small, it does not leave much to the imagination. Also to make it more interesting, I will be in hospital in the morning and will be pushed for time to get to the arranged breakfast in time. So I need to have my fancy dress ready in hospital. The nurses are going to be treated to me been dressed as a wondergirl cheerleader (with a obscene short skirt) as I leave on Sunday! So the weekend should be entertaining to say the least. Depending on how bad my outfit is I'll put some photos up next week.

So I have plenty to smile about. But what has really made me smile this week is the support of everyone around me. Word spread that I was not doing that well again. People have rallied around me once again. Particularly thank you to Julia, Julie, Phillipa, Katie, Monty, Oly L & Iain.

Lastly... does anyone have any good ideas for Mothers birthdays?

I'll update by blog when I can after the weekend, but when I'm in hospital 8am until 6 it is difficult as I'm fairly run down by the time I get home.

Cheers

Robbie