The neutropenia got me, or rather the bugs did, about nine days ago. I've been in hospital for the last eight days with septicaemia. The bug causing this hasn't been found and so I've had a variety of antibiotics. I still keep throwing up a high temperature from time to time complete with rigors (violent shaking and shivering), but none in the last 24 hours. I'm hoping I've turned the corner but it's far to soon to tell.
There have been a couple of nasty drug reactions causing a not so pretty rash all over. Fortunately it is not itchy or sore otherwise I'd be forever scratching.
Meanwhile the chemotherapy is delayed and I am kept going by platelet and blood transfusions.
Karine has had a cold so didn't visit till a couple of days ago but has been cooking meals for me, the hospital catering is outsourced and the food is diabolically awful. Charlotte has been visiting regularly and bringing the food in.
As always, the nursing staff on the ward are wonderful. A couple of times my blood pressure has dropped very suddenly needing urgent attention and they have been very professional and calm in dealing with the situation.
On a completely different note and a much cheerier one, Alexi's wife Lucy has just passed her last lot of medical exams and in the shortest time possible - i.e. she took every postgraduate exam at the earliest opportunity over the past six and a half years and passed the lot first time - a fantastic achievement. She has now got her Fellowship and is an FRCEM, Fellow of The Royal College of Emergency Medicine and can apply for a consultant post.
I'm very tired, haemoglobin is right down (71) so I'll stop for the moment and maybe write another blog in a couple of days depending on how things go.
*Beatles - White Album - disc one I think, can't remember the track number.
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