Wow ! I am feeling like a different person today. A good nights sleep, no temperature, and a brain that feels calm again. Something is working it’s magic on me at last. I had a delicious cafe latte at the ‘friends’ without waiting for the doctors rounds which was a smart move because it is now way past midday and they still have not been round.

I spent last night in a completely different double bedroom. The room I have been in all the rest of the week has been cooking me with a defective thermostat that could not be turned down (not helpful if you happen to be running a fever). Do not know which room I will be in tonight, depends whether the electricians turn up to fix it I guess ? I’ve got clothes scattered in both.

Anyway, good news is that Doctors have now been round and seem pleased with the state of things, to such an extent that the possibility of getting home again in a couple of days has been mentioned. Yippee!!

Christine’s weekend visit was one with a mission: to buy a mini fridge like the one I’d had in my room in B8. It had been so handy to be able to save a yoghurt to have just when needed. I thought it unlikely she would succeed but I was proved wrong! So before she left for home she was able to stock me up with some PetitsFilous and other little goodies. Well done Christine, Argos on-line and google; a formidable combination.

Last night I managed to get through without any temperature spikes for the first time. Today’s latest development is the introduction of 30 mg of steroids to try settling the GvHD. So it will be interesting to see what the next 24 hours bring.

Saturday

Rodger says - Another day and nothing much seemed to happen.

But Christine says:

Rodger is still having spikes of temperature at night and during the day sleeps a lot, but we took a before supper shuffle down the corridor and found out that there is a mysterious 5th floor to the Beatson. Pauline says that she has never dared go up to find out. I shall have to find out if there is a Beast of the Beatson.....

On our return an ominous plate of supper was waiting - Scotch Pie, chips and beans. An unwise attempt at a mouthful was aborted in haste. A bit of Sainsbury’s fruit cocktail was a better option, soft and juicy seems to work better.




The growth factor injection of last night has boosted the unhappy neutrofils which had fallen to a sorry 0.7 and midday’s count was way up at around 4.25. So what with more red blood and a kick up the pants for theneutrofils he should be bouncing off the walls. Hmm, we will both have to learn exceeding patience I'm afraid.

Somehow I have managed to get through another day. Bit of exercise, coffee at the friends; despite fever again mid afternoon.

Two separate doctor’s visits today. The usual mid morning one, and a 1 pm visit from Dr. Andy Clerk, which was most enlightening. Yesterday’s CT. Scan gave no indications of underlying infection. There is only one last thing to rule out and that involves changing the anti-fungial over the weekend. More than likely it will make no difference to the temperature, and so on Monday they will start to treat this as Graft vs Host Disease and begin a course of steroids. The result of the skin biopsy may come back next week too but it may be inconclusive. It will not necessarily prove GvHD is present, on the other hand, it just might.

Temperature was still up in the middle of the night, despite change of antibiotic. I think the doctors are beginning to think more of GvHD as the likely cause, and may switch to use of steroids to combat it. However today’s wee adventure is to go for a CT. Scan yet again. So I have not been allowed any breakfast and have had to drink a foul tasting liquid trace at 6 am and again at 9 am. Now it’s a matter of waiting to see whether the porter is a friendly one or not.

Now it’s midday and I have just heard that the scan is to take place between 1 - 2 pm, which means no lunch as well as no breakfast. Not even allowed a glass of water, which seems ridiculous when I am fevered.

Well the scan eventually took place at 2.40 pm (friendly porter by the way); the ‘wee adventure’ has ended up dominating the day. When I got back an hour later I was offered soup and a sandwich; which I promptly vomited back up, so I am still running on empty. I am not having a good day. The view out of the window has been the best thing about today and that’s not saying a great deal.

Today I had a visitor. Grandfather travelled all the way up from Kelso in the wind and the rain to see me. He is so very good at having a chat and came with an M & S raspberry jelly in time for lunch.

After my usual afternoon snooze, Dr. Travers came in to take a skin biopsy. This consisted of cutting away a small piece from my stomach area followed by one stitch. The idea is to check for any signs of Graft vs Host Disease, which apparently can cause temperature spikes amongst other things. I was also switched to a different antibiotic at lunch time so I am hopeful that at last we may see my temperature coming down and I might regain a bit of brain power and a bit more ‘get-up-and -go’ physical strength. I really am struggling at the moment.

ps. yet another blood transfusion this evening, so that should be giving things a lift by tomorrow.

Well, here we go all over again.... back at the Beatson Glasgow and very glad to be here after a very shaky few days of uncertainty and feeling ill from a high temperature. I feel confidant things will get sorted out here, although it may take a day or two before they come up with the right combination of antibiotics.

It’s wonderful just to be free and no longer tethered to my blue robot. Free to swing both arms and stroll up and down the corridor; free to visit the ‘Friends’ for a morning coffee; and free to do some Tai Chi exercises for the first time in nearly 5 days. It’s amazing how weak I have become over that period. I had to take rests 3 times while trying to complete the tai Chi form (which normally takes 15 minutes). But I suppose that is also an indicator as to me being not completely well just now. Just because I have been given paracetamol to bring the temperature down.

Meanwhile outside the rain just keeps on falling.