Up at 6.30 to get ready for hospital for a now weekly checkups much prefer this to every three weeks gives me a bit of comfort, plus also get me out of the house for a few hours in the morning even if it just to sit around somewhere else instead of at home. The appointment didn't last too long was only there for about an hour and a half, if even. The counts that they got where all very good platelets where above normal and haemoglobin was pretty high too considering it's been pretty bad the last few months, at least the walking is doing me some good. White cells where high too but around the same level as what they have been for a while. I don't think this is down to the chemo, but then it does point towards an infection/virus, hopefully it's the one that I had when they found the lymphoma as it wasn't contagious, just wish I could remember the name of it, now I hope to remember to ask them next week what it was. Told them about feeling rougher a lot quicker this time around compared to the previous times, but they didn't seem too concerned about this. So if they're not why should I be.
I had already decided to walk home today, I soon discovered that this was not a very good idea and really began to regret it, but I really wanted to walk past Ravenhall to get a picture, so my good pain bearing body and determination got me there, past and home. I'm not so sure I can remember a time that I was so pleased to get home and sit down, pure agony. But avoided painkillers cause well a bit of suffering done no one any harm... right? Plus most importantly I had planned to go out tonight, so a bit of pain now can only make me have a much better time tonight... right? Well for a few hours I really didn't think that tonight was going to happen, lay in bed until about an hour before I was to go out and still wasn't 100% but after thinking about it for a few days it had to be done. We ended up getting a free meal, think they had just started serving food in the place so where giving out samples of their stuff. I think it's a Spanish themed bar now in a way, as there was Spanish music and Spanish food. So I guess that's karma for the first "right?". Later in the night the bar man came over and asked if we liked Guinness, stupid question, he said that someone had bought them but left before he gave them to them. So I guess that's karma for the 2nd "right?".
Anyway it was a great night, lots of booze... I also had a few cigarettes, oh no!!! Well it's about time, I just beat my previous record of 11 weeks without smoking, so I'd just be setting a better record, I'd prefer starting over and breaking my new record of 12 weeks. Only problem is my addictive personality but as long as I don't smoke over the next few days I don't see this being a problem.
Saturday I got up pretty early didn't seem too bad but lay around for a while before finally getting up, head seemed ok wasn't sore or anything, my main problem was that I felt completely brain dead and just didn't function, this is my normal hangover, wasn't surprised by this except I was expecting my head to be throbbing. Watched the Arsenal game in the afternoon, the real Arsenal team turned up thankfully and I went back to sleep a bit later, struggled staying awake towards the end and was glad when the final whistle went. My keyboard finally arrived today and this one works fantastic with no problems, very happy about this. Another thing I had ordered where string for my guitar that I haven't used in about 7 or 8 years. Was also able to give it a good clean, the dust that had built up on it was ridiculous. What put it in my mind was a couple of things firstly I emptied out my room of basically everything and was going to sell it, until I looked it up and it's no longer being made anymore and the value of it has doubled what I bought it for, so I think I'll hold onto it for a while longer and make the most of it. Another thing was my numb fingers and feet , my fingers feel as if I've been playing the guitar, so I thought I may as well do what I'm suffering from anyway.
Sunday I done a lot less than Saturday and I didn't do much on Saturday, basically I got up, watched TV, had food, watched the motoGP, had more food, watched more TV and went to bed. Usual aches and pains, pretty boring day, but it was required, no point having a weekend if you can't have a lazy day.
Monday 26th August, well, as I'm in hospital again tomorrow I needed to do something today and when I got up I felt pretty good until I was having breakfast and my back started to get sore, normally when I lie in bed it's sore not when I get up so this was different. Planned to head eastward on my walk, but didn't know where exactly I was going, ended up walking up Belmont Road and seen Stormont so decided I'd go there. Felt pretty good so far apart from an itchy butt and scratching that walking down a carriageway wouldn't be a great idea so finally got to a bus stop and sat there for a bit, it was also quite nice on my knees, helped them settle a bit before heading on. Got to Stormont and had a look at the signs and seen there was a trail around the edge and went to go along one of them, kept to the left and going up but then the path seemed to just end, but I was near the top. A bit of a walk up the hill and I was there, I was the only one there. This really pleased me, took a few snaps and had a seat for a few minutes and admired the building, the view and the quiet.
Began to head home and was about half way back when everything started to get really sore, it's seems that three hours is all I can cope moving around outside before it gets unbearable even for me, and my pain threshold is pretty high, so this could help me plan routes for my next treks. Later in the afternoon I was unbelievably tired but didn't want to sleep as I'd like to get some tonight at least, only problem I'm not planning on going to bed early as with the appointment tomorrow I can't eat before it which means I can't have any breakfast and so I'm going to lie in as long as I can before getting up. I may just watch a film, or just some more of The Shield.