Tuesday 28 May 2013
3-4%
I'm going to make it brief. I've just received some fantastic news.....my 100 day post transplant bone marrow biopsy showed only 3-4% plasma cells (malignancy). As a quick reminder, that's down from 25% at diagnosis and 10% pre transplant. Lots of tears (of joy and relief) and you can be assured that Len and I will be cracking open the Champagne tonight!!
Sunday 26 May 2013
Back Home Again
Back at home again, after five days in the big H. The blisters on my back had started to heal, so I was sent packing on Thursday evening. I'm still on high dose anti viral tablets for the next week, by which time hopefully the blisters will have fully scabbed over (hope you're not eating whilst reading this!!). The right side of my torso is still very sensitive and a little painful at times, but there have been no new outbursts of blisters and the doctors have said I was lucky to catch it early and start treatment so soon.
As far as my biopsy results are concerned, still no news from the pathologists lab...will hopefully hear something next week. I'm starting to get impatient, it's been over three weeks since the biopsy and I usually get the results after a week and a half. Anyway, for the time being I will live off the positive results from my PET scan. It showed no new tumour sites and confirmed the plasmacytoma on my sternum has dramatically reduced...some great news!!
So, getting back to the shingles...as I said previously, I'll take it as a 'gentle reminder' from my body that I am still only four months out from a stem cell transplant. Out I go to cut the grass then!!
As far as my biopsy results are concerned, still no news from the pathologists lab...will hopefully hear something next week. I'm starting to get impatient, it's been over three weeks since the biopsy and I usually get the results after a week and a half. Anyway, for the time being I will live off the positive results from my PET scan. It showed no new tumour sites and confirmed the plasmacytoma on my sternum has dramatically reduced...some great news!!
So, getting back to the shingles...as I said previously, I'll take it as a 'gentle reminder' from my body that I am still only four months out from a stem cell transplant. Out I go to cut the grass then!!
Sunday 19 May 2013
The Return of the Chicken Pox
Well, just when I thought there was nothing of interest to tell you, other than my new crop of 'baby down' soft hair, and me becoming the family lap dog of choice as a result, it all kicks off.
I popped into town with Marcus yesterday morning to buy him a new pair of astro turfs from everyones favourite shop, Sports Direct, and all seemed fine. Got back home and asked Len to look at what I thought might be a scratch or a bit of post teenage acne on my back. She found a clump of blisters, which obviously set alarm bells ringing, so after a chat with the on-call haematologist at Hammersmith, she decided I needed to get to A&E. So, after spending what felt like seven hours (oh, hang on, it was seven hours) at Hammersmith A&E yesterday, I was admitted to hospital with shingles. I'm now back in the same isolation ward where I had my transplant, and on an antiviral IV. They're obviously very keen to get on top of it quickly, as I'm still very much immune deficient only being four months post transplant. I'm in good hands and could be here for a week or so, depending on how well I respond to the drugs. Hopefully we've caught it fairly early, which helps alot with the treatment of shingles. What triggered it.....who knows....just pushing things a little too hard at this stage perhaps. It's frustrating, my head's telling me I'm fine and can return to a normal lifestyle.....maybe this is my body just telling me to calm it a little. As a good mate said, make like the rabbit in the Cadburys caramel advert... just take it easy!
Anyway, just to top off what was a thoroughly shite day, what more could one wish for other than a parking ticket......I am living that dream baby.....well, living the dream minus £50 anyway!!
I popped into town with Marcus yesterday morning to buy him a new pair of astro turfs from everyones favourite shop, Sports Direct, and all seemed fine. Got back home and asked Len to look at what I thought might be a scratch or a bit of post teenage acne on my back. She found a clump of blisters, which obviously set alarm bells ringing, so after a chat with the on-call haematologist at Hammersmith, she decided I needed to get to A&E. So, after spending what felt like seven hours (oh, hang on, it was seven hours) at Hammersmith A&E yesterday, I was admitted to hospital with shingles. I'm now back in the same isolation ward where I had my transplant, and on an antiviral IV. They're obviously very keen to get on top of it quickly, as I'm still very much immune deficient only being four months post transplant. I'm in good hands and could be here for a week or so, depending on how well I respond to the drugs. Hopefully we've caught it fairly early, which helps alot with the treatment of shingles. What triggered it.....who knows....just pushing things a little too hard at this stage perhaps. It's frustrating, my head's telling me I'm fine and can return to a normal lifestyle.....maybe this is my body just telling me to calm it a little. As a good mate said, make like the rabbit in the Cadburys caramel advert... just take it easy!
Anyway, just to top off what was a thoroughly shite day, what more could one wish for other than a parking ticket......I am living that dream baby.....well, living the dream minus £50 anyway!!
Saturday 4 May 2013
Last Thursday
Last Thursday....not a day that sneaks its way into my top 10 days of all time. I had my three months post transplant bone marrow biopsy in the afternoon. Obviously, if I could share that experience with you I would.....I'm thoughtful like that!! I've got an appointment with my consultant on Tuesday 14th May, so will get the results and be told whether I require any follow up 'maintenance' treatment at that time.
As I said earlier, not the best of days last Thursday. I received my paraprotein results in the morning from my last set of blood tests taken on 23rd April. The paraprotein is a good indicator of the level of disease, and mine has gone from 13 pre transplant to 9. I was expecting a bigger drop....not based on any facts, just the hope that the paraprotein would have reduced by at least 50%. I was really upset and worked up.....I've gone through all this...for what? I don't know....maybe I'm too positive at times and I just set myself up for a big fall. I don't know.
What proved to be good in the end (just as Len had told me) was the fact that I could talk to my haematologist about the blood results prior to my biopsy. He's a very positive and approachable guy and really helped put my mind at ease. As he said, the key with this disease is stability, not absolute values. Having a stable plateau moving forward is what we need, even if that level is 9. My calcium levels are fine, kidney function good and my sole plasmacytoma (tumour) has significantly reduced....all positive signs that need to be taken into account. So, not the best blood results, but lets wait and see what the bone marrow results are like, and as my consultant says, I just need to get back to living a more normal life. San Miguel and a few rounds of golf it is then!!
As I said earlier, not the best of days last Thursday. I received my paraprotein results in the morning from my last set of blood tests taken on 23rd April. The paraprotein is a good indicator of the level of disease, and mine has gone from 13 pre transplant to 9. I was expecting a bigger drop....not based on any facts, just the hope that the paraprotein would have reduced by at least 50%. I was really upset and worked up.....I've gone through all this...for what? I don't know....maybe I'm too positive at times and I just set myself up for a big fall. I don't know.
What proved to be good in the end (just as Len had told me) was the fact that I could talk to my haematologist about the blood results prior to my biopsy. He's a very positive and approachable guy and really helped put my mind at ease. As he said, the key with this disease is stability, not absolute values. Having a stable plateau moving forward is what we need, even if that level is 9. My calcium levels are fine, kidney function good and my sole plasmacytoma (tumour) has significantly reduced....all positive signs that need to be taken into account. So, not the best blood results, but lets wait and see what the bone marrow results are like, and as my consultant says, I just need to get back to living a more normal life. San Miguel and a few rounds of golf it is then!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)