Right folks, I'm back from my break from telling this story and hopefully over the coming days I will be able to bring things right up to current day and we will continue from there. First things first though, I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read the blog over the past few months.

Okay so to continue from where I left off.

I had come out of surgery and been put in plaster and could not really move my legs. Next step was another one of the dreaded Bone Marrow samples. At this stage my medical team had also undergone a change as per the rotation policy of the Hospital. At first I was apprehensive about having a new team looking after me as my trust in the previous team was so high. My fears proved to me compltetely unfounded as the new team were jusst as amazing as the first.

I was extremely scared of getting another bone marrow sample taken at this stage because I was already in so much pain. I was assured by my new doctor however as she told me that she had preformed the proceedure over 1000 times and that she would not hurt me. I found this difficult to believe at the time as I had been in such pain with my first bone marrow sample. She also explained that unlike a lot of other patients it would not be safe for me to have another general anesthetic. Anyway, despite my fears the proceedure was completeld entirely painlessly much to my surprise.

This test was to be very important as it would let us know how the treatment was going and if there was to be any good news for us because so far it had all been bad.

As I said in the last post, I was completely unable to eat at this point and was being fed intraveiniously through a serious of tubes going into my neck. I was starting to resemble the bionic man a little at this stage as I had tubes coming from my neck, both arms and a morphine pump attached to my stomach as well as a catheter and bag (which I was utterly unimpressed with needing).

It is amazing how the most simple of tasks become unbearable when you are in this condition. Every hour or so a nurse would come in to me to shift my position in the bed to prevent bed sores and to change the bed clothes. This was torture for me as I could not move myself and being moved was very painful. As always they had my best interests at heart though I found it hard to see at the time.

One of the more embarassing things I endured over this part of the treatment was having to be bathed as I was unable to do it myself. It was something that I dreaded each day but It was for the best as if I had picked up another infection it probably would have been curtains.

To say I was under constant care at this time would be a wild understatement! Everything possible was being monitored and checked and re-checked. At the time I thought this was a nuisance but I understand the importance.

It is amazing that when you are truly scared that your look for your parents. I was lucky because Ray and Carol stayed with me all the time, even sleeping in the hospital. The staff in Beaumont were amazing about this two, even though it was not strictly allowed. This was but one of the many ways that the staff of St. Damiens ward went above and beyond in their care for me.

Around this time I got a visit from one of my childhood heroes. As those who know me well can tell you, Basketball was the driving force of my life for many years in my youth. During this time one of my heroes and favourite players and later coach was Kelvin Troy. Kelvin himself had also spent time in Beaumont previously when he recieved a kidney transplant also in St. Damiens ward. I heard his voice as he walked down the hall toward my room and immediately recognised it. I knew it was him but couldn't believe it all the same as it had been a year or two since I had seen him.

Kelvin stayed and spoke with me and talked about old times and told stories as only he can do. At this time I could normally only stay awake an hour or so without a nap, though it was almost 3 hours of talking I was still awake. To say that this visit gave me a well needed lift, does it no justice. I was upbeat for days to come. It meant a lot to me that one of my heroes would take the time to visit me like this.

Weeks passed and I was making somewhat of a recovery. I was making a fist at walking again and finally had some of my tubes removed! I was actually starting to come to slightly. Amazingly I had now been in hospital 7 weeks. Finally there was talk of getting home. I was still in a bad way, no question, but in comparison I felt great. The day finally arrived and I was told that I could go home. I'll be honest... I really wanted to go home, but I was still scared about leaving the hospital.

The truly important news we got at this time was that there was NO traces of the Leukaemia in my blood. Which was really really good news.

THis might sound odd (though not to people who know me) but we actually stopped for KFC on the way home from the hospital.

My mishap with getting the infection was now going to cost me 8 weeks while I waited for my wounds to heal enough so as I could resume the chemotherapy. On the plus side however it really gave me time to regain my strength before having the next course of Chemo. It was playing on my mind however that Ihad just battled through one course of chemo..... and had three more to go.

I spent the 8 weeks meeting friends, spending time with my family and generally chilling out. Despite being in a lot of discomfort, it felt like a great time.

Okay folks that wraps this one up.. more to come... as I said three more course of Chemotherapy with all the fun that goes with them.

__________________________

Sign up for the run!