03/07/22 Record

Not much yesterday, just waiting for those blood test results to come in...

Took a walker-assisted walk to Pepper's Green Lane and back, and got my best CPAP score so far:

Ate a banana for lunch. Ook.

02/07/22 Gardening

Decided to attack the bay bush next to the fishpond, which has grown well out of control. No gardener we've ever had has been willing to cut it back as hard as it needs, The job is tedious (especially the clearing up afterwards) but pleasantly fragrant. The difficult thing I hadn't foreseen is the need to keep the safety bar closed with the left hand, and mine just isn't strong enough (yet) to do that for long or at awkward angles. So the hedge trimmer keeps stopping and I have to change my grip... Got myself thoroughly exhausted, and I hope I haven't strained that left shoulder and neck too much. There's a narrow line between useful exercise and overdoing it.

Springfield's blood test results gave potassium at 3.4, only minutely below the lower end of "normal" at 3.5

I'm going to stick with the bananas. More came in with yesterday's Tesco order. Ook.

01/07/22 10/10

That's my score for lunch at the cafe in Hylands Park yesterday. Sausage roll (inevitably), brownie, and cappuccino. Couldn't have been better.

My GP recently put me onto Indapamide (low dose - 1.5mg) to control the rise in BP after the surgery - from 120/70 approx to 140/90 or thereabouts - and also as a continuous-action diuretic to control the ankle oedema (proving rather better than occasional Furosemide). He sent me for a blood test a few days ago. Result came in yesterday with slightly low potassium (3.1 against normal 3.5 - 5.3) and that seems to have thrown the surgery into a bit of a panic. I have to have a re-test as soon as possible which turns out to be July 12th!
My K levels in my myeloma blood tests have always been in normal range, and reduced potassium is a known side-effect of Indapamide. I've emailed the chemo nurses  to let me know the potassium level in the blood taken yesterday. I'm curious as to whether it shows a similar drop. 

In the meantime I'm going to increase my banana intake. As the Librarian of the Discworld's Unseen University would say. "Ook!"

30/06/22 Born to Boule

 

After going to Springfield for this month's bloods to be taken, I drove to Ongar for the Wednesday afternoon informal boules session (stopping at M&S for a sandwich on the way). It's wonderful to have that independence back.

Tested my walking frame idea out, and it works just about perfectly. Played half a dozen or so ends before deciding that was enough for a first time - don't want to overstrain my shoulder. Birchanger this evening is a possibility but it's a longish drive and more difficult underfoot. lt'll probably depend on the weather but may be more sensible to wait for Ongar on Sunday morning or/and Epping on Monday...

28/06/22 Every day, in every way...

Drove into Chelmsford this morning to get blood taken for a GP blood test. No problems with the driving. Tomorrow, to Springfield for yet more bloods...

Now confidently doing the stairs with just one hand for the handrail etc.. So I can carry small things in the other hand.

... I'm getting better and better.

As for the myeloma, the nervous waiting week begins again tomorrow. Hard to believe that after five months off all treatment it sill hasn't found a way back. I'm just very grateful that it hasn't.

27/06/22 Giant Steps

Continuing the theme of musically-inspired post titles, try this wonderful transcription of Coltrane's classic. If you like that sort of thing, of course. At any rate, it gives me an excuse to work an image into the post!

Three "giant steps" for me yesterday:

1. Used the stairlift just once, to take the morning tea tray downstairs. Otherwise I've done every trip up and down unaided.

2. Tossed a few boules around on the back lawn, using my wheeled walking frame for support. It has a bag strapped to it to hold the boules etc. I found my line was surprisingly good but my length is poor. Can't get any decent range and don't have much control over height of the throw. But very early days yet, and I'm going to need a lot of practice to get strength back into my right arm. Several hours later there's no unpleasant reaction in the shoulder muscles.

3. Went for my first drive in the car since mid-January! All went well, I can use handbrake and transmission selector ok with my left hand. So Sue won't have to drive me around to appointments any more, which will be a great relief to her. And of course it opens up the possibility of gradually getting back to playing some proper boules again. That'll get me out of the house, which will be good for both of us.

That's a lot of progress for one day.

Last night I thought was pretty sleepless but the CPAP machine recorded my best score yet. Very strange. Perhaps I was dreaming being awake all that time?

26/06/22 King's Head breakfast

 We went to the King's Head in Ongar for breakfast. Obviously too early for most other people:

I had the full english - basically, two of everything - and therefore spent most of the rest of the day in a state of collapse.  Delicious, but you do pay a price for it!

On the other hand, not even the tiniest twinge from that right big toe, and the troublesome muscle below my left ear has been much better as well. Proof, perhaps, that the FEB has unexplored curative powers...