Another trip on the roller coaster

I think that an ancestry DNA test wouldn't help you, as brothers would be too similar to sort out. Also I expect the SCT will have muddied the results. I had mine done before SCT, but it was very puzzling. Lots of Yorkshire and Durham connections when on paper it should all be southern England. I have compared with various known relatives and concluded that my very snobby pretentious great-grandmother had her son by someone who was not her husband.

Thanks for another drug name, I will add to the book.

Tessa

I think we have already rejected a DNA test as unhelpful, for the reasons you have given.  We know the family (neighbours over the road, while husband was away at sea!)  just not which brother was the culprit!   There was definitely some subterfuge going on and the father's name on my grandmother's birth certificate cannot be right.  She has lied about everything else and we think she gave the brother's name on the birth certificate to hide an affair.  The named father actually disappears from the country entirely aged 15 and we think he may have gone abroad, never to return!  

I love doing family history - love learning about the social history. I would never have found out about Thames watermen and Victorian poverty in London, had I not come across ancestors who lived that life. 

Sheri

The Solent today. Might be last trip out for a while.

Beautiful, Tessa! And today has been so very sunny here too. 

Will be thinking of you....keep us posted as and when you feel able

hugs xxx

Lovely!  My bit of the Solent is a bit further east from you, but the sea and sky are still as blue. 

Sheri 

How did you get on today, Tessa?  Was thinking of you and hope all went well. 

(((hugs)))

Sheri 

I was expecting just a blood test and echo today, so was surprised when consultant came in as well. My full bone marrow biopsy had come back. Seems there were not many leuk cells in it, but there wasn't much of anything else either - 'empty' was the word used. This means that lymphocytes alone may not bring it back after chemo.

Two possible solutions - find a donor to have on standby to give me stem cells if needed, or just do it as an intentional SCT. Apparently I wouldn't need much conditioning chemo as there isn't much to kill off, so it would still take the estimated 4-6 weeks instead of the 6 months I had first time round. I guess the recovery time (and related issues) will probably be much the same as before. They think I am fit enough to do it. 

After a dramatic drop in my counts over one 5 day period, they have now stabilised, so I should be able to spend the waiting time comfortably at home. First time round they had several possible donor matches, so hopefully its a case of finding one that is available and willing in the time scale.

Since Tuesday when I was told of imminent admission, I have done most of my packing, contacted all my support group and collated phone numbers, emails, holiday dates; organised gardening care, and someone to finish a furniture restoration project (or I wouldn't have any usable dining chairs). The car was picked up and serviced and MOT'd so its in better condition than me. Can I now cope with just waiting?  I had sorted out some things to keep me entertained while in hospital, but I may have finished them before I get there.

Tessa

Good morning Tessa, you have been such a busy bee.

So pleased that your team had a plan for you when you went to see them rather than going away with even more questions and what if’s.

Hard to imagine an ‘empty’ Bone Marrow...... but let’s looks for then to find someone to ‘fill’ this space for you quickly........ it’s rather mind boggling when you try and understand it all.

Organising everything helps get the mind uncluttered. My second Allo was in mid October so I was doing the same as you getting everything lined up.

Every time the rugby World Cup comes round I will remember that October in 2015.

Your dinning chair project sounds interesting - I do like fixing things up. We have had a leaking tap in the kitchen for a few years...... so we went to look for a new tap a few weeks ago and ended up with a new Kitchen

I fitted the kitchen we have over 20 years ago so I am dealing with my pride and paying others to do it.

The Kitchen Fitter from the Kitchen Company came in yesterday to do the site survey so it can be ordered and his first words were “Hi Mike, you were my Lecturer 25 years ago......”

I just hope I made a good job as he is the one that will be fitting the kitchen but he did say that I nominated him for best student in his third year - so we should be ok.

((hugs))

Hi Tessa, 

so a plan is made, hope it goes properly to plan!

big hugs xxx

Hi Mike

Paying someone to do my garden feels like paying someone to do my hobby for me. I try to tell them what I want done and let them get on with it. It wouldn't work if I stood at their shoulder pointing at every weed. I don't always get the results I had in mind but that also happens when I try and run out of steam.

The Japanese have a word wabi-sabi - nothing is ever permanent, perfect or complete. 

Tessa