Kippford Christmas

My day to day routine may appear very simply as a walk in the morning and a sleep in the afternoon but Monday’s 100 mile trek through blizzards over the Border Hills to the Glasgow clinic was something else again. The previous night having been a Sunday the road gritters never made it out to the minor roads which the snow on ice had made treacherous. Two lanes of the motorway were passable but a lorry had jack-knifed on the outskirts of the city causing the motorway to be closed and diversions put in place. We spent an extra hour sitting in traffic jams before finally making it to the hospital. The good thing was that the morning clinic was nearly over by then so there was less waiting between ‘observations’, consultation, and blood tests; so we were able to set off back not long after midday and get back in daylight.


If you do not have to travel anywhere, this weather must be one of the most perfect leading up to Christmas for many a year. It has allowed me lots of fresh air and exercise. Today’s glorious sunshine demanded a walk down to Kippford to see the tide coming in. The top of Screel was lost in a cloud bank but else where was bathed in sun. My legs felt like jelly walking back home up the hill out of the village but it was well worth it. I am on a decreasing dose of steroids now, so hopefully that will lessen the muscle degeneration I am struggling against just now.






Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year to all blog followers out there from Rodger.

Sunday Snow

Christmas really has descended on us. An inch of snow descended after breakfast this morning and transformed the landscape. The temperatures yesterday had been down to -4 C so it fell on very firm and icy ground. By late morning the skies cleared and a Sunday walk up the hill beckoned for Christine and me. She suggested attempting the steep climb past the ‘very tall tree’ to the trig point at the top of Moyle Hill. That was quite an ambitious target for me and did require a few rest stops but we got there; 150 meters above sea level. The path on the other side of the hill drops down and meets the mountain bike ‘red route’ creating a nice circuit back down onto the forestry road. All around us there seemed to be snow clouds; beyond the Solway Firth the Lake District hills were lost in a great bank of them, but the Moyle was bathed in blue sky all the time we were out there.
Tomorrow it’s back to reality with a 2 hour trip to the Glasgow clinic starting at 8 am. I don’t think the driving conditions are going to be particularly good but the hospital have laid on special individual transport for me, so at least that takes the pressure off Christine. I will not be back until 2.30 pm, weather permitting, so probably no walks on Monday.

Transplant Day 57

The weather is being very kind to me just now. These clear frosty days have been continuing for more than a week, allowing me lots of fresh air and exercise. Today I walked with Christine, South down to Kippford, to see the spring tide full in at midday. The estuary has such a different feel in winter; with not a single boat left on the water it is so much more of an expanse. Meanwhile the yacht club jetty perimeter is crowded with boats all hauled out, high and dry for the winter.

Transplant day 56

Have five whole days passed since I last stopped to write? The weather has been very kind and gentle and I have managed to walk a couple of miles almost every day this past week; trying to establish a routine of a midday walk before lunch for 40 minutes so that I can fit in an hour’s sleep in the early afternoon. That works unless it is a Monday or Thursday morning clinic in Glasgow or Dumfries respectively (then it’s a late afternoon walk if there’s still light).

Today was a Dumfries Thursday clinic with the usual blood tests which were all quite good levels. (I am on a reducing dose of steroids that give a slightly artificially high white blood count). Today’s extra was the once a month inhalation of Pentamidine to protect my lungs; that took up an additional 20 minutes. Sister Liz Rae was dealing with me; she is very good at positive thinking and at making you feel special. According to her I am doing much better than an average transplant patient at day 56, which is most encouraging. Having so much caring support from Christine is such a help for me to focus on this whole long drawn out recovery business. But that’s another good week to tick off.

I have been home now for a whole week and am beginning to relax a little, instead of worrying about being whisked away back to hospital. It is now 51 days since the transplant and my 100 day target is suddenly looking closer. There is not much flesh on my bones just now; I only weigh 8 3/4 stones (56 kg) so I need to work on muscle regeneration. This is the perfect excuse to slip out of the house and up the lane into the forest. The weather over midday yesterday, and again today, has been perfect; clear skies and hard frost with grasses jewelled in the low sun. I just had to take a camera with me when I set off to stretch my legs and, when Christine saw what I was up to, she turned a key in the Pottery Showroom and hurried to catch me up. We are so fortunate to have such a fantastic walk on our doorstep. It’s almost exactly a mile to walk up the hill to the ‘Summer Seat’ but well worth the view. Enjoy.

Thursday 10 December

Today was a Thursday Clinic Day in Glasgow, which meant a 7.30 am start from the house in order to deal with traffic and the hundred miles to get there on time. It seems like a very long way to travel for a routine weight, blood pressure and temperature measurement, plus blood tests, which in total probably take up less than 20 minutes, including talking with the consultant.

Still the results were all good, neutrophil counts normal, platelet counts building up nicely, though still a way to go to reach something like normal levels.

The journey back across the border hills and down the motorway was particularly beautiful. The sky clear, with deep pockets of mist clinging to the forested slopes.

Monday 7th December

Being home has a very different feel to hospital when it comes to continuing with this blog diary. Not sure how well I’ll be able to keep up with it. Yesterday morning I put on hat and coat and had a sniff around the garden and raked up a few twigs and leaves which felt really nice. Then in the late afternoon I had to attend clinic at ward 10 in Dumfries Infirmary and see Dr. Thomas. The blood tests and liver functions were all good, so no worries what so ever. I’ve just got to sit tight and stay out of trouble, and avoid any high temperatures. So far so good.
This morning’s project was to write a letter to the Co-operative Bank to see if we could get a replacement Credit Card. There seems to be a problem with our credit rating which is a real nuisance. We’ve had a credit card for as long as I can remember. It was a real mission digging out all our financial information for the past 3 months and photocopying it all. Not sure whether anything will come of it; feels a bit like banging one’s head against a brick wall.

Saturday, December 5th 2009

Happy to be home, but pottering around is exhausting. Lots of naps, both full naps and cat naps are needed.

(Posted by Christine)

Home at last ! Christine had set off on the 100 mile trip North to the hospital before 8 am. so we had the room cleared, bags packed and ready for off by late morning. By 3 pm we were back home. I have now laid out all my pills for the coming days and there’s a boggling number to have sorted through. Nice to be back to some home cooking.

Today was dominated by fasting from 7.30 am onwards, prior to an ultra scan; which did not take place until after 3.30 pm. A long time to go without food and water. Fairly starving by the time I got back to my room. Any way the liver scan looked good; and all appears ready for discharge home tomorrow.

Today’s treat was for Christine to take me for an afternoon jaunt to the seaside at Helensburgh. Completely away from hospital for a few hours ! Here are the photos to prove it really happened.

Unfortunately the possibility of getting home today has receded to Friday now. Complications with a dip in my liver function need monitoring for a couple of days and require a scan tomorrow. Still I might be home for the weekend which would be a nice change. Keep fingers crossed.

The plug hole for the shower water managed to block itself this morning causing quite a flood out from the shower room, right across the bedroom floor, and out into the corridor beyond. I had to beat a hasty retreat as nurses banged on the door armed with blankets and sheets and started scattering them in all directions to mop up the mess.

Plans for discharged tomorrow seem to be moving on a pace but nothing is certain until they give the green light. This morning a top-up blood transfusion is dripping into me as I write, which should give me a boost for home. And a second bag has kept me plugged in all afternoon too. No nice visits to the ‘friends’ for coffee today I’m afraid.