RECALL

Dear All,

Sadly got a call from the hospital this morning telling me that my CMV markers have failed to respond to the antiviral tablets I have been on for the past week. My blood tests on Tuesday showed that the marker is still high, so I am having to be readmitted tomorrow (bed permitting) for a two week course of intravenous antiviral drugs.  Oh Lordy! Another blank window to stare out of - unless of course I get a slice of sky.  This, as you can imagine, is disappointing news. But I guess in  the long run is the best course of action to take. Also the tablets have affected my blood counts and my neutrophils and WBC are  both very low again.  Medical team do not want this to happen. So all in all...

I am also suffering again from daily battle with nausea and it would be good to see if they can sort this as I am exhausted with feeling sick all the time and battling with a tender stomach. I know this is to do  all the medication I am on (was put on more on Tuesday too, for a returning bladder infection). My current daily swallow is 17 tablets... way too many.  Food and drink have become really hard work - there is nothing I feel like eating and my fluid intake is way too low.  No temperatures though. 4pm and I have just managed twice round the roundabout (hanging onto Luigi's steady arm).  Lovely soft pink candlyfloss sky.

Once back inside Kings I am going to try not to revert to 24 hours bed rest (a lazy habit of mine). The problem is that if I get up and dressed there is no-where to go apart from up and down a corridor with a mask tied round my face.  I will have to think of something clever to do.  I have been knitting bunting for my studio - which sounds bizarre - but has kept me occupied for the last couple of weeks. Click click clack. k1 p1 drop one, swear!  Soon I will have yards/ metres of red triangles to string up.

The bone marrow was short swift and pretty damn painful. I did a lot of 'OOOOOwwwching' as they injected the bone and hissed blue air. But it was over quickly.  Apart from a bruised hip I am not much worse for wear. Though where they are going to find bone to apple cork out soon is a mystery to me. I still have to have regular bone marrow biopsies for the next few years...

Final word is that a pair of nuthatches and a dunnock arrived on the bird feeder this afternoon. So pleased. Word is getting round.  Also a long tailed tit is hanging around in the trees. Now we have a robins, jays, great tits, blue tits, nut hatches, dunnock and a pair of blackbirds. Plus the two squirrels (hand fed by Luigi) and the wood mouse. Quite a gathering. I will think of them all while tied to my drip.

Next stop Kings. Will update from a room-with-a-view.  As always great to hear from so many people -  and all those "unknowns" who have so kindly written, thank you. The world is a very good place! Greetings to everyone. North and South. Back soon tch xx