Moving forward slowly!

              Patches, the couch potato, keeping me company through this rather dismal summer. She is crazy for David Attenborough and watches him every afternoon, that is when she is not keeping an eye on me.
August has been very slow. I  did the urine test and had the lung function test 2 weeks ago and will get the results when I go back to the Doctor on the 2nd September. which is also when I have the heart scan........  all that being well I will be upgraded to the Beatson in Glasgow where I will have my veins tested....... hope they are not found wanting.
Meanwhile back at the GP I have discovered that I have a couple of lumps in my breast...... will have a mammogram soon  and hope that is nothing gloomy. Also having problems with my urine , to much or too little not sure which is worse. Slight lung infection and sore ears......... Lets not mention the toes and the knee. I am a walking disaster area.

Moving forward slowly

The first hospital visit after my trip to the stem-cell transplant Doctor was  easy. I did not need to continue with the Chemo  and was told that  my next step would be tests, (I am, however, still getting the bone strengthening  injections once a month.) Lung function, Urine and a Heart Scan...... all to be arranged ASAP. Walking on air about the no Chemo and looking forward to moving forward but still very very tired and a little dizzy.  Oh well can't have everything.

First stem-cell consultation

It's the third of July and my much loved son Robert and I are on the way to the Victoria Hospital in  Glasgow for the first real Stem-cell Transplant consultation. I am nervous to say the least. The threats of loosing my hair....... my only real beauty asset - the length of stay in hospital and all the other stuff I had read on the web had  double de-clutched  me into reverse gear.

The wait to be seen was short the Dr (McDonald) was charming and very reassuring  He basically talked about the procedure but was also very honest about the side effects and the problems that I might have to face. He gave me some sheets of paper which had all the problems listed. I have tried to convince myself that the NHS had to cover itself but reading through the indemnity document my heart stopped - anti-biotics for the rest of my life, chance of leukaemia, platelet transfusion and other equally awful prospects!
The interview ended and I was sent for blood tests.

I had survived round 1 almost unscathed!

I now had to decide if I wanted to go ahead or not.

Robert feels that I have no choice as done my son in SA Philip. Will now have to set about deciding and perhaps finding out what the alternative is.