Feeling good

We had to down size our herd and sold ~ 130 animals at an on farm sale. It was very sad saying goodbye to animals that we had brought into the world and showed at County shows, but we made very reasonable prices. We still have a few left, including two that calfed in the past few days. Downsizing was to enebl us to cope, should Ros and / or I need more complex treatment.
We are donating some of the proceedings to the Plymouth hospital to help them create and / or  fit out a new ward which will enable them to offer the ability to do unrelated donor stem cell transplant for the South West. We also got a nice contribution from our Auctioneer, and a person from whom we had bought cattle some years ago. So the total cheque to them will be ~ £1200.

I am in for blood tests, bone marrow tests and clinic on Wednesday

Ros is still waiting for her bone marrow results and whether she should have a top up from ages ago

Fourth lot of of AZT over

Well the chemo is going OK. I met a lady the other day at an MDS support group meeting in Exeter ( which was very good by the way) and she had had come off AZT after four lots, and I have know other who get bad side effects, so I am doing very well.

This time was similar to last, except my skin is very sensitive and I feel like scratching all the time.

I got my blood results back this evening. The are all excellent, except for my neutrophils which have taken a dive, and are back at .4 - highly neutropenic - but the doctor was not too worried. OK then I have to wear surgical gloves around the farm again, and avoid various stuff, but that is not too bad. It will probably bounce back up a bit next week.

I will have a bone marrow test in a few days time to see the underlying effect of it all.
Meantime we held a herd dispersal sale and sold most of our cattle, just to make life a little simpler. It was very sad, we hardly slept the night before or after. The animals looked great and commanded good prices in front of a large audience at the on farm auction. One of my farm hands retired, but we will not take on a replacement.

Rosalind was really annoyed. Not with the medical staff, but her latest bone marrow biopsy has been sent up to Kings twice, two different specimens, and neither got to the doctors there. The 'system' sent them back to Derriford, probably because of funding disputes. This has lost a lot of time, that could be life threatening - we just do not know. The doctors from both hospitals are furious

A bit better

I had blood tests 10 days after my last lot of chemo on Friday and they are pretty good, so I can go out and do stuff. I feel a lot better. Clinic next Wednesday, then start again probably the following Monday.

Rosalind got over her infection and and had a bone marrow and blood test on Wednesday. We need to wait for ten days for results

Its a lovely day so we all hope to have some fun in the sun