So it’s been a few weeks since the last blog, but in fairness, I really haven’t been up to much so not much to write about. I’ve pretty much got a nice routine going on now, I get up and go on the treadmill and read, no risk of walking into any lampposts. Usually there’s some Australian sport on in the morning so stick that on and then have a shower it’s nice being able to do this each day again with the PICC line out. I’ve been really trying to get my walking done each day but just on the treadmill and not outside.
The afternoon I usually catch up on what I’ve got recorded. I go through the Radio Times each week and set up new series links and to record one-off shows and just work through them. Unless it ends up they’re rubbish and I just cancel them but that doesn’t happen often. There’s normally a lot of documentaries and with the two new sky channels Sky Documentary and Sky Nature they normally have a few good shows on each week, and also BBC Four. I pretty much always need a sleep, quite a lot of the time it’s not long after I eat but I always end up completely shattered and if I don’t get my sleep I’m a real grump, so the sleep is pretty essential.
The evenings are more a relax time, sticking on a film or two, entertainment programs and on the computer or whatever football is on. Weekends are pretty much just all sport, football, cricket, rugby, F1, superbikes, MotoGP anything really. Most of the time I end up either reading or on the computer at the same time.
I’m trying to keep things structured so that I at least keep a decent sleeping schedule. The odd time I get a horrible sleep which is usually caused by my stomach playing up or my cough and sometimes even both, which is a nightmare.
Haven’t been able to work out what is causing the issues with my stomach, I’ve been cutting out different foods for a while but nothing seems to change.
The only real thing of note over the last few weeks was that I was at hospital on Wednesday, I booked it early which was good I was in and pretty much got my bloods taken straight away and then I went out to avoid the waiting area. I ended up just going for a walk and when I got back to wait in the car a few minutes later I got a call from the doctor to come back.
Each time I go to the hospital over the last few months it’s either in a different place or the layout has all changed with Covid. There’s now a one-way system in place but at least now I don’t have to use the main lifts to get to the Bridgewater Suit but I do have to walk past them on the way out, but it was generally very quiet that early. When speaking with the doctor I said about the stomach and he had a look to see if it could be any of the tablets that I’m on but I’ve pretty much been on the same tablets for much longer than it’s been going on so I’d already ruled that out. That was about it for that matter and said again about the persistent cough and guck coming up, it’s been over 8 months and the pain is still there and the cough is as bad as it’s been. I guess on a positive it’s not as bad as it was a year ago but still it’s constant and the crackling of it too urgh, it’s annoying. They took a sample of the sputum but I’m quite sure there won’t be anything there. I think I may be stuck with it for good. I doubt there’s much they can do about it.
I got to speak with the nurse about the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT), so the ball will be starting to roll with that soon enough, my bro will be doing his part of the next couple of weeks then it’s pretty much just a waiting game for a bed to free up for me. They can take 6 people at a time and asked if there was a space opened up early would I be willing to take it which I certainly would be, the sooner it starts the sooner I get sorted really and less chance of any screw-ups prior with infections and the like.
Yesterday the 1st was when I said to myself back in March that I would allow myself to start to get out and about again, which ended up being the government end of lockdown for the vulnerable too, but I’m not going to change anything till after the BMT, not really with the risk of infections, more the mental side of things, I’m content and happy as things are. I think that if I was to go out for walks and fresh air that I would enjoy it too much and start adventuring but knowing that in a few weeks I’ll be back to being stuck in a room not able to leave it I feel it would be too much of challenge to settle back into the swing of things.
So I’m going to continue as things are and make the most of the isolation for longer, get more books read, films I should have watched and games to play. It’s not often you get the chance to just completely switch off, I’m trying to put a positive swing on it obviously it’s not ideal, I’d certainly prefer to be out and about building up my energy properly and being able to see people. I guess maybe Christmas I might be able to get some normality again but... Just have to wait and see and even the outcome of the BMT who knows how that is going to go.
For now, I’m relaxing and trying not to think too much of what’s ahead. Today is the 321st day since I first went into hospital and there’s still a while to go yet. At least things seem to be going the right direction.
Well until next time, I’m gonna get a bit of shut-eye zzz again before my Tesco delivery arrives and then some food.