The week that didn't go to plan

Well this was the week that didn’t go to plan…… Having been warned that this process was going to be a bit of a rollercoaster, we’ve experienced our first little dip.  (and there was I thinking I’d rocked the first stage!) In my last post I wrote that my neutrophils (the first responders) had packed themselves off for a long weekend leaving me vulnerable to infection.  Well it would...

Of blood counts, cats and a thought of writing a cookbook

Well Friday turned into a day of running about. It was blood count day so my lovely daughter and I set off for London on Thursday evening ahead of a morning appointment at the hospital for blood count and review. All fairly uneventful in the beginning.  Being able to use a hospital flat is fab – they’re comfortable and well appointed and free of charge to patients.  Without the flat...

Lazy Easter

Well doing not much at all has been the Easter of 2017. Usually there would be roast lamb dinner, lots of chocolate and a family gathering.  I didn't plan anything as I expected to by lying around feeling very sorry for myself counting the hours to the next anti-sickness pills. The reality has been quite different.  The anti-sickness pills are clearly highly trained professionals...

Day 2

Well day 2 has been rather better than expected……. Now just to set something in context….. Himself, my lovely sister and I went to lunch a couple of weeks ago in an unmentioned café in Poole. Why are buying lunch in a café when we own a restaurant?  Well it was a day we’re closed and we didn’t want to mess up the kitchen.  In the aforementioned café we order paninis – the ones...

First chemo - done!

Well it's Good Friday and there are plenty of committed and caring people working in the NHS despite many of us enjoying a long weekend. First dose of chemo is done and we're back at the hospital flat, we'll head home tomorrow with this bounty.... Feeling a bit fuzzy (early onset chemo brain?) but so far so good....

It starts...............

Here I am at Hammersmith Hospital……. As we all know the NHS is significantly under resourced but I won’t hear a word against them.  Himself and I are settled into a hospital flat ahead of the first stage of my treatment tomorrow.  I was accepted for this treatment in November 2016 so it’s taken a while to get to this stage.  A three month washout of the magic juice, lumbar puncture...

Me and MS

Me & MS This is a story about me and HSCT though it may help to know how we got to this point…….(the short version which probably isn’t so short but please bear with me). I was just a reasonably healthy middle-aged (eek) wife, mother, wicked step mother, HR professional, amateur masterchef and mad cat lady.  Who knew I'd get ill...... It was October 2004 – my Dad was visiting from the...