Almost human....sometimes!

Well, it was quite a weekend and Steve managed brilliantly, even though he's still in the process of recovering from the chemo side effects.


The main event was a trip to Kent on Sunday for a surprise 60th birthday and retirement party for Martin, a long-standing friend from our student days.  And it really was a surprise - he didn't have the faintest idea of what was in store when he arrived for what was supposed to be a meal out with two friends!  Mind you, he had to sing for his supper (well, play the keyboards actually) with his band who were up on stage ready and waiting for him to put in an appearance.  Great food, great atmosphere - Steve and I even managed a bop or two on the dance floor, safe in the knowledge that we didn't have far to travel at the end of the party, just upstairs to the B&B wing of the party venue.

Monday morning we set out for London where I did some prep for Tuesday's meeting, before going into town to see the Anish Kapoor exhibition at the RA then joining friends Peter and Paula for a wonderful meal that night, which gave us a chance to catch up on news and admire Ellie's cake decoration. That's my birthday cake sorted for next year!


Tuesday's meeting went smoothly.  Steve sat through it in the public gallery (without dropping off to sleep in spite of the exertion of the previous evening), so now he knows what I get up to when I'm working away from base...We were back at home at a reasonable hour, thank goodness, so plenty of time to recover.


Steve said that there were times this weekend when he felt almost human again after such a long time of feeling rotten with the chemo.  However, he has yet to last a whole day without taking an anti-nausea tablet and is still getting the weird tastes in his mouth, occasional tingles in his hands and feet which he didn't really notice until the last dose of chemo, and cramp in his leg (but that might just be old age and lack of exercise over the last five months).


Today we have been sorting ourselves out - me at work, Steve making a start on Christmas cards for our friends abroad, which we posted after dropping into the doctor to drop off another research study questionnaire into mesothelioma victims' employment and family history (which Steve has filled in already, as it happens).  


Took the opportunity at the surgery to get an update on the swine flu vaccination programme as we have heard nothing, in spite of being priority cases as a person whose immune system is compromised and his carer.  It looks like we had fallen through the net, but are now flagged up on the system.  Not a moment too soon.  My temperature has rocketed this evening to 37.9 C, just a whisker under the swine flu trigger of 38 C. However, apart from feeling hot and bothered, I have no other symptoms, so it's probably down to anxiety and wearing a big warm jumper.


We are both feeling a little nervous about tomorrow, when we pay a return visit to the Oncologist to find out the results of Steve's latest CT scan and X-ray. What will it show? Who is winning?  Steve or Leo?  Or is it still a draw?  


Assuming all is well, I shall leave Steve to look after himself for 24 hours or so while I go to Bristol after the hospital visit for a work centenary celebration and meal.  If all is not well, I won't feel much like celebrating so will probably stay at home so we can drown our sorrows together.   A big thank you to those who have already been in touch to wish us good luck for tomorrow.  The rest of you, please keep your fingers crossed for us!  


Watch this space for news....