Happy New Year

Well its a new year and I mean to finish as I started.... that is, in my case, being alive.!

But I think I may dispense with some of the issues I've had lately.

We had a very interesting trip to see Doc Shoozenbootzen and to fill up with intragam.

First off you will remember that I have been getting a top up in red cells for many many months and its been about every four weeks, then you will be very surprised that I needed blood one week after getting two units in Hervey Bay. One week ago in if fact on this very day. Yes I had gone up but nly to 95 from 89 two eeks earlier. I think I must have dropped to the 70's again inbetween the blood test and the reciving Hervey Bay blood. Any way the Dr laughed so hard when we we telling him the story about Hervey Bay and Bluey said " it would have taken less time to drive to Brisbane to get blood!". He/We are going to look at trying to get into the private hospital St Stephens that have an Oncology Day Clinic. The Base Hhospital at HB has an oncology day clinic as well but I'm going to give it a try after lasti time. It would have been the appropriate spot but they used a regular hospital bed/room/resources etc.

Anyway the blood took three and half hours to get to the clinic and then 3 hours to infuse the blood plus the time already spent. Arrived 10:00 am left 6:00pm but at least I left, eh? (Just a reminder to my Canadian friends that even though I have been here for 16 years I can still talk the talk.)

Lots of laughter yesterday we had the English bird who as usual was in top form. Motorcycle mama made many humurous inputs and the Scottish queen go my to kiss her hand. She really is out of control!!

But now to the news.
My white cells, neutraphills and platlettes are all way up. so the interferon was keeping the rest of the counts down and stopping it was a good idea.  the Plattlets were up to 100 and three weeks ago it was 25 so that's brilliant. The Reds were still down and that's because of the fibrosis in my bone marrow that prevents the cells from developing properly.

We talked about how things in the treatment plan are draggin out a bit but he reasured us that I could go a long time just getting red packed cells and just crusiing along. He warned I may be building up iron. If fact he made a note to check it next time we are together. He's going away for three weeks now so will be back by the time I am scheduled. In the meantime I'm to do a blood test in 10 days and then talk to the Practise manager. Deb. about fixing up the Hervey Bay Transfusion stuff in case I need it.

I also have been having ulcer type pains for a month now and they have been getting worst so I'm going to get a scope out.  and acid reducing tablets.

The big news is that he  is concerned that in three months if the donor lymphocytes have not worked we may be facing a new transplant with a different donor. My Bro is just too good a match and there was no Graft vs Host Disease last time and thatw what is goin to attack the fibrosis to keep it under control. So an unrelated but matched donor will be better because there is likely a chance of more GVHD. There is also a higher risk of fatality from GVHD.

Heres where Bluey and I heard slightly different things. She heard the second transplant is very dangerous. I heard the second transplant has higher risks than the first one did. We could go on an on with me just getting blood every foour weeks or taking a chance on a cure by doing the second Transplant.....but this conversation will take place at the end of April.  Not now. So every thing is just peachey.

It was really very good because of the just can go an go. This means we get to go to Melbourne for that concert Joyce wants and we can take small trlps inbetween the blood infusio