Week 2 is meant to be the worrying low week, but it started remarkably well. I felt well enough to travel up to Sheffield to see Laura's graduation. We had a lovely meal, and enjoyed the day of the ceremony enormously. I had often wondered about the point of graduations (Photos on blog main page.) Surely, the point of a degree is the education, and OK, the employability factor. But it was great to have the occasion to recognise and celebrate Laura's work and achievements over four years. And she did get a great education as well as a good degree.
Daniela and I travelled back to London the same day and I was enjoying great strength and energy. But... next evening I started to shiver no matter how I was wrapped up, then I started boiling and my temperature hit 39.9 degrees C (103.8 Fahrenheit for American readers and old Brits). The hospital said come in and so at midnight Katie drove us up to the Marsden and so started the IV antibiotics, oodles of blood tests showing low haemoglobin, platelets as well as white blood cells (a new record low of 0.002). I was given two sets of platelets (thanks to 10 blood donors) and 2 units of red cells (thanks to 2 more donors). After 4 days of lows, the blood tests suddenly bounced back up and I was free to go next day after a CT scan and 2 "nuclear medicine" tests.
I'm a big believer that the point of treatment and surviving all this is to live - now, not just hopefully in the future - and certainly not to wrap up in cotton wool. That said, Cycle 3 starts Monday and don't expect me to be socialising in that week 2.
Paul, in good health and spirits
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6 comments:
Hi Paul,
Love the updates and the photos. You have a nice shaped head! (according to my friends (also cancer survivers) that's very important).
Stay strong, thinking of you often.
Jenny
Brisvegas
Paul, you are amazing! I'm sorry that the path to "matter removal" means that these drugs must tax your body so dramatically. I so admire your strength of spirit and, of course, your humour (<--you'll appreciate that I spelled that "correctly" for you!).
Many, many congratulations to Laura--and to mum and dad for raising such a smart kid(!).
BTW, you DO look terrific bald. I've loved bald men since seeing The King and I with the strikingly handsome Yul Brynner. I think you're right up there with Yul! I'm sure Daniella agrees!
Hugs to you both,
michelle
Well done Paul for achieving so much recently. You are amazing.
The photos of the graduation are so lovely. We can see the pride oozing out of every pore!
We are all with you as you go through the next course of treatment.
Lots of love from all the Dumbletons xx
Hey Paul,
Congrats to Laura for the degree, Katie for reaching 21, you for finding you're own way forward and no doubt Daniella for holding it all together. The whole of the Juice team is thinking of you.
Thought you'd like some news - Sophie's a proud mum - Tristan the rapidly growing grandson of an overly proud grandad - I can recommend it.
Keep the faith and I hope to catch up with you soon.
Ian
Hiya Paul,
Don't know what to say except fair play to you.....thats cause I'm Irish. Going through the joys of Chemo with my Husband at the moment. Pretty confused.Hes back in hospital because his temp is spiking and all the tests show nothing so they reckon its a virus and we know theres nothing they can do about that. Really confused. His platelets are shot to hell and the doc is about fifteen years old which scares me to hell. Any advice or ideas?......... Keep well!
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