A busy couple of weeks

I've had a pretty busy time of it for the last couple of weeks, which is mainly good news as it shows that things are very much returning to normal.

Since my last post I had an additional blood test on Friday 29th April so, whilst most sane people were sitting in front of the telly with a cup of tea watching Kate and Wills make their vows, I was sitting in a car avoiding road blocks heading towards University College Hospital so someone could stick a needle into me.  I have to say that the clear roads (excluding the road blocks) were sheer joy!

Needless to say, the blood test turned out fine and I was given the go ahead to leave the country for a few days, and, equally importantly, the letter to reassure my travel insurers.  Dave and I then went off for a driving tour in France where we stayed in various chateaux and a couple of nights with our lovely friends Dale and Lynn, and their dog Chrissy.  It was great to feel normal and, since very short hair is considered chic in France, not attract any strange looks.  My Sprycel side effects have diminished so that I only feel old and achy when standing up after sitting for a while, or after walking around for too long.

On to yesterday's hospital visit where I had another routine blood test, a chat with the consultant (I'm now back to Kirsty who was my consultant when I had the transplant) and a session on the nebuliser.  All is looking fine and I have been taken off Cyclosporin completely - Yippee!!!  No more furry face and funny tasting wine!  Sadly my super lashes have already all but gone that's a small price to pay for losing all the other side effects.  I have also been signed off for 4 weeks, so long as I get a blood test done by my GP in the middle.  As that's a long time in blog world, I may post after that blood test, which will accompany a cholesterol check which I have been told to get as one of my earlier blood tests suggested that I am rather high on that front!  I hope I don't have to give up the cheese!

If you read my last blog you will have seen a link to my friend Michelle's blog as she was going on a new drug trial. Well, things have not gone quite to plan on that front as they discovered, from blood and marrow tests prior to starting the trial, that Michelle has just moved into what is called the blast stage of CML.  This is serious and she has had to go straight into hospital to start chemotherapy.  The idea is to use chemo to bring her back to chronic stage (like I was) and then to give her a bone marrow transplant.  She is being given a series of chemo referred to as Flagida (you can google it) which involves up to 4 types of chemo in one day.  All of this means that Michelle is facing a longer and tougher battle than I have had and, if any of you pray, please put in a few words of support for her.  I went to see her last Saturday and she is approaching this with her usual amazing strength and humour.  She has been an enormous support to me over the last few months and it is now my turn to do the same for her.  Go for it Michelle and beat this CML into the ground!  I'll keep you all posted on how she is getting on.

Phew, I think that's enough for now.  I'll post again in a couple of weeks.

God bless.

STOP PRESS!  I got a call from the hospital late Tuesday to say that another of my white blood counts had come back and I no longer need to use the nebuliser!  That is great news as it is not much fun and very boring.