STILL AT HOME!

Two weeks now since I was discharged from Derek Mitchell Unit. Fantastic to be at home for such an extended period of time! I have only had three visits to the HOP clinic, which makes a difference to the three or four a week I was having to make back in May. That was exhausting. It seems at last that both the Red Cell Apalasya and the Auto Immune Haemolytic Anemia are under control. My haemoglobin count is holding and remaining steady - I have not had a transfusion now for about 5 weeks. That's the good news. Yesterday I was in HOP for a routine blood test and unfortunately my neutrophils and white cell blood counts are still falling, to the extent that I am now neutropenic again (goodbye salad and summer fruits). Not sure why they are dropping. I hope it is not a sign of anything sinister. I am still struggling with my cough and a bit of a cold, so hopefully this is the reason for the low neutrophil count. I go back to HOP this Friday for another blood test...

As for broken bones and back braces, well, I have mastered the art of getting the brace on and off quite quickly. With the aid of a 'grabber', sent to me by my sister, I can manage to put on jeans and underwear. - quite a feat - but putting anything over my head is virtually impossible, so have to do that with Luigi's help. I can walk slowly, although I still have pretty wobbly legs. I managed to get once round the roundabout on Sunday. It must have been quite a comic sight, tied up in my brace with me clutching onto Luigi's arm and moving at a snails pace. Bloody hard work though and the uphill bit (only a few yards) was really tough. Lots of puffing and panting. The stairs are a good work out for my leg and arm muscles. Thank goodness for the banisters. The cast hopefully comes off my wrist in two weeks, so having my left arm back in action should make things a bit easier. I have a special 'high backed recovery chair' to sit in which helps to keep my posture straight and gives my head support. I stare at the garden and the tv. The bees and butterflies are in abundance. The sun makes the yellow potentilla gleam. The evening light makes the geraniums almost fluorescent. The rain beats down too and cleans the dust off the passion flower leaves. Two baby wood-mice (must be off-spring from the original wood-mouse) scamper at incredible speed through the grass and round the flower pots. They sit at the bottom of the bird feeder feasting themselves on fallen grain.

Friends come by. Last week Amanda gave me another soothing reflexology. The effect knocked me for six, but helped clear my swollen ankles. Wendy spent a solid three hours in the garden, cutting, pruning, weeding and tying back. She did a brilliant job. Mel and Charlie moved loads of studio stuff from Havelock Walk up to my garage (I no longer have my Havelock Walk studio - a very sad state of affairs, more of which on next blog entry). Martyn came for supper. It has been great to have all this contact and start to get some kind of normal rhythm going again. But this week I will see no-one as I want to keep infection-free as possible.

Wish I could climb into my car and drive myself to the sea. I long to feel salt air on my face and listen to the breaking waves. To sit with my eyes closed, face turned to the sun and toes digging into damp sand. To watch kites dance and dive under a summer-blue sky. It's been two years since our camping holiday at East Prawle, pitched in a clover field full of rabbits. I am sure some Devon sea-air would do me the world of good. This time next year I intend to be packing the car with tent and cooking gear and heading south.

Thanks to all for messages, in whatever form they come. Brilliant as usual to hear from you (Tony P, I love your menus). And thanks too to all of you who still follow this blog regularly. I am amazed that so many people still keep up with my progress.  It's not been the easiest of journeys, but your support and encouragement has made it a whole lot easier. Fingers crossed now for neutrophils to go up...

Hope everyone well and relaxed as summer continues to shine. Back soon, tch xx