Well here we are in July, July has a few anniversaries in regards to my previous cancer episode, on the 1st of July 6 years ago I was admitted into hospital for my stay to get my stem cell transplant, I ended up being in for the whole of July and was let out on the 31st. 31 days in isolation seems like a breeze these days and at the time it was challenging but not the isolation, it was all the other stuff going on which I’m sure there’s a blog about it (There is, here). On the 4th of July 7 years ago I was first diagnosed with Marginal Zone Lymphoma and that is what lead me to start writing a blog about all the rubbish that goes on in my life and a release, which first started on the 31st of July, 7 years… doesn’t seem that long.
But back to now, I’m in quite a bit of limbo at the moment, I’m stuck in between things and I’m trying to think of it as a bit of a respite before the madness begins again and I think the madness this time will be Mad with a capital m. Will be nice to get it started but will enjoy things as they are for now. Everything is just a waiting game, my brother and sister have had bloods taken to be checked to see if they are a match for the bone marrow transplant, that was over two weeks ago, from what I was informed we would have heard by now.
I was due an appointment with the BMT doctor on Wednesday but that was postponed to the following week as he is on holiday this week which may be the issue although I thought it would be the nurse that’s mostly organizing the samples being taken and checked, so I dunno, just have to wait longer.
I’ve been having issues with my tummy its been quite bubbly to put it nicely and I’ve been trying to work out what’s been causing it, stopped taking bread, milk, coffee, even fruit at different times for a few days and nothing seemed to ease it or reduce it. At one point last week it got really bad and also felt sick with it, but then with some of my tablets they make me incredibly tired which in turn can make me feel a bit nauseous too, so I guess it’s a mixture of things. Thankfully this week it seems to have settled considerably compared to what it was anyway.
Another issue is that no one seems to know who is in charge of what tablets, I’ve been on tablets for pericarditis but I’ve not seen the doctors that put me on them since basically the surgery to remove the fluid from the heart. Similar with tablets I’m on for the surgery in my lung and I’m only seeing them again to “keep me on the books” as the last I seen them covid was just about to kick off, but the lymphoma doctor doesn’t want to change any of the doses or take me off them before getting advice from them. The one they can change they are so I’m now reducing the steroids gradually, which will make a big difference, I still have the steroid chubbiness and nothing I can do will shift it but over the next few weeks I’ll be getting to a level that doesn’t cause that, or well at least previously didn’t and with the time I’m spending on the treadmill each day it should help reduce back to my normal size and weight which will be nice.
I had a bit of an outing yesterday, I was due a car service a couple of months ago but obviously everything was closed so they couldn’t go ahead with it, I got it booked in and normally I go to Ballymena but they booked me in where I bought the car in Derry which I didn’t realize till I checked the address the afternoon before as they said they’d moved. I didn’t overly mind as it would be a bit of an adventure which I was looking forward to, just a pity it was basically the other side of the country. It was nice though, I enjoy driving and the drive over was good.
I got there dropped the key in and went for a walk, it was an industrial estate outside the city, after a minute of walking it was rural so I got to see some sheep, goats and chickens, and smelt cows. That was what I noticed most, the smells, the freshness, obviously with being in the house all the time you don’t really get much fresh air even with the windows open and there’s not that many different smells and you get nose blind. My yard is nice though with all the plants now and the lovely rose out the front, very pleased with how that’s growing. Anyway sidetracking, it was so nice to get out again and the fitness levels were surprisingly good, I know I’ve been on the treadmill but out walking in real life is different and it even had a hill walk too for some of it, I was pleased with it and obviously doing something right.
I know it will be a long while yet before I’m able to do this again but was nice to have a bit of freedom for a few hours. Now back to waiting and keeping myself busy in my bubble. I’ll continue to organize my photos, all 20,000 of them, sleeping and eating, the same old exciting stuff.