The Alien Within: 14 – Slumps & Dumps…

Date August 7, 2015 Author By RLG Category Journal

Relief is at hand…

Today’s Bloods results showed the anticipated slump in certain of the key elements; WBC (white blood cells) and  PLT (platelets).

Nothing alarming, in fact they could have been significantly worse with the consequence of requiring blood product to return them to a less critical level.

Instead, with a sense of relief, I was sent packing with another batch of WBC booster injections – those Jill loves to mix up and ready before injecting subcutaneously.  These in addition to the daily dose of blood thinning agent that will remain with us throughout the curative process.

I do have to return on Monday to ensure the injections have worked their magic, so fingers crossed they are diligent in their application and restore my blood count to the right side of critical…

This morning, much to our relief, we had signs the famed Movicol may well be up to the job!

Yes, without too much hard work on my part, although still requiring more than normal effort, we did manage to evacuate some of the blockage I have been experiencing for the last few day.  Had it not been for the Movicol, I am sure the required effort may well have been too much and a fuse, or three, may have blown.

Anyway, bloat relieved a tad, I made myself decent and headed off early to PBCH for a Flat White and sandwich at Costas.  I know, I do like to live dangerously…

Whilst waiting for my results in the Day Unit, I took a call from a work colleague, which was both touching and just a tad worrying:

Steps back to yesterday; during the lunch meeting I had in our local hostelry yesterday, which didn’t really help the bloat after the event, I mentioned The Alien Within to another long standing colleague.  I have known this individual for a decent number of years and wanted to do the one-on-one thing, rather than any remote medium.

My main reason for this is to try and stress to those I have spoken to my desire to retain as much normality in my life as is possible.  Accepting there may be some challenging times when normality may be a pipe dream, I have tried to make it clear I do not need, or want, anything other than to be treated just the same as I always have been – not that hard a concept really?

Back to today; the telephoning colleague had called, among other things work related, to let me know that yesterday’s colleague had requested a meeting with him to discuss ‘the way forward’.  In other words, how can they work together to avoid bothering me with every day normal stuff!  I give up…

As well intentioned and touching as such sentiments are, it really does not help!  I am not ill, well most of the time, and I really, really, do not need mollycoddling or wrapping in cotton wool, the NHS are already doing that more than adequately to give me every possible chance of walking away from this endurance test.  Thank you, I know you really do just mean well but, please, please, don’t kill me with kindness; I might just break down and cry…

This evening, to retain some normality, Jill dragged me to the local hostelry for a Friday is Fish treat.  As I had been feeling good all day and, after all, it is Friday, I went willingly and looking forward to the best fish ‘n chips served in the area – there are very decent F&C shops, but one cannot beat sitting down in a nice relaxing atmosphere to enjoy someone else’s first rate dish.  Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed it, I have to hang my head and admit I could not do the plate justice.  I left a rude amount of food on e plate, but left feeling full almost to bursting and appetite satiated.

I rounded off with yet another couple of sachets of Movicol…

NEXT: Week 2 – Day 13