Hairy cell leukaemia

Hi Chris/aka Yorick,

Yes I've never had a flu jab, am suspicious of them - since I stopped working I spend less time with infected humans ha! so have touchwood had far fewer colds and snuffles and the dreaded ManFlu. Just a suggestion... you wrote "I bought it a packet of paracetomol and it gave me a blocked nose" ... er try taking the tablets out of the packet and swallowing one with a spot of water?

Talking of water, it's somewhat wet here which has stopped me going off for a walk (ok I'm a wimp) but at least we ain't under three foot of snow like the New England states of the US of A.

Yo, it's time for my elevenses..... keep on whistling!

Hi Y'all

Just had the copy letter to my GP from my haemotologist, reporting my last visit. What does it mean in Doctor-Speak when he says "The patient feels well in himself"? This is the second time I've told him I feel lousy at the appointment but he's put this in his report. If I feel ill for any reason, is this OUTSIDE myself?

The first time I still had the after-effects of chemo, this time it was flu from the jab. Also he asks if I have night sweats. I say I do occasionally but I don't know if it's caused by the temperature of the room. So he writes I have no B symptoms. Is that the only one then?

My friend on Facebook says there is a new charity . Just £5 a month will help a young South African learn the difference between a burglar in his bathroom and his girlfriend.

I went on a date once but the woman accused me of being mean. I took her for tea and biscuits. It was the first time she'd donated blood!

A middle-aged woman was feeling depressed so she decided to shoot herself in the heart. But she didn't know where her heart was. So she asked her doctor. He said "Your heart, Mrs Jones, is just below your left bosom". So she went home and shot herself in the knee.

Hello folks

Hope everyone is well. Got snow again this morning - its March!!

Just sent some very late replies to some PMs and realised its been 3 months since I posted.  I am still well and confident I will remain so. Still get some fatigue, but 2 consecutive years of treatment and its reasonable to happen. I am happily working like I'm in my 20's (and I am not!!) so I bet its my age too, but not sure I want to admit to that!

My BIG news - I am going to be a Mum - at last!!  William is a gorgeous little boy, 4 years old and the cutest little man. My heart leaps and I have overwhelming feelings for him, since the moment we found him. After good news early Dec, mid December he 'appeared'.  We become a family on 8 April, and we've had more meetings and forms to complete, not to mention hoop jumping and an extraodinarily amount of handwringing than you'd want!  But it will be all worth it.

So anyone lurking out there thinking my life is over after diagnosis - I'm not saying its easy, but life is absolutely not over.  For me, it just began!

Take care everyone and avoid those flu jab 'hangovers'!

Wendy x

Hi Wendy,

Good hearing your news - that you're keeping well, also about your new arrival, no wonder you're excited, I presume you mean going through all the adoption processes was tricky, I'm sure things will work out really well for you all.

I'm off to see my consultant for my 6-monthly review this week, generally feel fine, can now sleep for England, maybe I'm more relaxed than I used to be... or my age is catching up with me!

Came away feeling somewhat puzzled after a rather short session with one of my many consultants yesterday. Oh, many consultants cos it's always a surprise which one sees me the last few years.

Anyway, he shook hands, sat down, smiled, looked at my file, said my blood results were perfect, then left the room to get a sheet for my next appointment.... and that was that.... well, given a little dramatic licence.

He did briefly check for my spleen in case it was swollen as I pointed out my platelets were rather low (98, dropped from 134 last September).

Overall, what went up last September has now come down, and vice versa, so overall things are back to where they were a year ago, funny old game.  

So I shall keep on self-medicating with red wine, beer, chips, chocolate, coffee and the odd steak.... and chew on the thought that it will soon be 10 years since my cladribine chemo, hard to believe... what was that Sandy Denny/Fairport Convention song?... "Who knows where the time goes"

Your visit was almost identical to mine, Frank. I told the specialist if it wasn't for the splenamegaly, he could do the whole thing over the telephone and save me a trip. But he insisted it was essential I came. Maybe it's to do with his bonus. I read online that a specialist on average gets £75000 a year but if they meet certain criteria, they get a bonus of £75000. If they qualify in year 1, they automatically get it for a further 4 years. I bet that makes you feel a lot better.

The retiring Pope is getting a pension. The news headline was "Money for Old Pope".  :-)

Did you know that every UK Prime Minister gets a pension regardless of length of office? (True) I wonder if they have to wait till they're 67 before they receive it.

And now, housing benefit claimants will get reduced benefit for bedrooms they don't "need". E.g a couple who had their sons in one bedroom and their daughters in another were told their disabled daughter should not have her own bedroom as she could sleep in the girls' bedroom. So the family must lose £25 (approx) of benefit for the non-essential bedroom.  Does this apply to MPs' second homes?  An MP only needs single accommodation in London, not for his family. In fact, I think they government should buy a large hostel in London with single rooms for MPs. And/or if the MP claims for a mortgage, when he is no longer an MP that house/flat should become government property.

Now I've got that off my chest, I'll go and make myself some hot chocolate. Been very tired lately. I get by on 6 hours sleep a night. Trouble is I need 6 more during the day. Still got my cold.

And finally... at the funeral of a traffic warden, the coffin lid suddenly opened and the traffic warden sat up. "I was only unconscious. That's wonderful. You don't have to cremate me now." The undertaker said "I'm sorry. I've started the paperwork..."

Oh well, Brirain's Got Talent starts again soon. We can all get absorbed and forget the world outside.

A fond farewell

Chris

Hi Chris,

Yes, your checkup sounds very like mine.... makes you wonder what is going on doesn't it? I prefer it when I get a more junior doctor, they seem more interested.. in the 'good old days' for the first few years after I was diagnosed I always saw an excellent lady consultant who was very thorough, considerate and had an excellent manner. These days it's more like being on a conveyor belt, apart from the customary wait before they see you....

Hey, I've just started reading "The Road To Wigan Pier Revisited" - an update on Orwell's 1936 classic, which I read last year. The introduction equates our current batch of MPs with the Pigs at the trough in Orwell's "Animal Farm", whilst ordinary people are paying for the mess we're in with benefit cuts etc whilst those in power just keep on milking the gravy grain.

Tell you what, since I started sleeping better at night, I don't fall asleep watching TV during the evening. Which is just as well cos there's a load of old series I'm catching up with using my cable replay feature, which comes in handy given the garbage on most channels. What was that Bruce Springsteen song, "57 Channels and Nothing On" (no I'm not making it up....)

Hi Y'all

Long time no hear!  Still got my same complaints. You remember my theories about symptoms which I believe are caused by infection but our Victorian-trained doctors say "No - inflated stomach is always food allergies; pains around the joints are always arthritis"?

Well, I've been sleeping badly due to pains in my pelvis. You lnow there are two little nobbly bits that stick out at the back? My pain is there but on the inside.. No point in seeing doctor. So I've been taking my beloved sodium bicarb again - the only thing I can buy over the counter that kills infection. The pains have decreased to a dull ache.

Well, on the news last night. a woman doctor has discovered that a lot of back pain is caused by INFECTION! A female patient of hers was due for a major operation to fuse some vertebrae in her back. But this lady doctor gave the patient the right antibiotic and most of the problem has gone. She had to endure ridicule and criticism for her belief but now she's in line for Nobel Prize or at least a Blue Peter badge. She may even get 2 bonus House Points and a sweet out the jar!

So now I'm going to watch for news reports to find out what the infection was. It's believed that 40% of back problems may be caused by the infection.

Alleleuia! "O frabjous day, calloo callay"  he chortled in his joy. When I find out the identity of the infection, I'll be off to see my lady GPfor the appropriate anti-biotics and hopefully no more swollen stomach or pains in the back and shoulders etc. One day I may even be as fit as you, Frank!

"I love it when a plan comes together."

Now. what have the rest of you been up to?

All the best

Yorick

Yip-yo... you vindicated then Yorick? This backache/infection thing is reminiscent of the Australian doctor back in the 90s (I think) who was ridiculed for insisting stomach ulcers were caused by bacterial infection.... but eventually the medical profession caved in given overwhelming evidence.... of course the pharmaceutical industry asn't happy as previously they had people on antacids and suchlike for life.....

Thought I better check my 'facts' before posting, anyway NHS Choices site says:

There are two main causes of stomach ulcers:

• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria, which can irritate the stomach or upper intestine lining, causing an ulcer to form
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or aspirin, which can have a similar effect

Gee, seems I can carry on drinking beer and wine, yippee!

Hey Chris/aka Yorick, you need to raise the bar.... don't settle for being as fit as me... (Me? Fit! Gerrof, am knacked after an hour's weeding in the garden  (check.. yes, I did type the 'd'.. no, I don't mean in 'garden')...

Anyway, no news from me on the hairy front. keep on trucking! 

Regards, Frank

PS... any news from anyone else out there in the hairywebosphere?

Hello all!

My news is - I'M A MUMMY!!!

We have a lovely little boy called William.  He's just moved in and whilst its hectic and we're shattered its just wonderful.

 I'ts just lovely being a family.

Hope everyone is keeping well.

Wendy x