Needles and Neutrophils: The Hobnob Chronicles

[biscuitsandbandages]

Four weeks today I woke in my own bed with my 8 week old daughter in my arms and waited for the inevitable sounds of approaching 4 and 6 year old boys. I had everything I had every dreamed of. Life was difficult and tiring but we were getting there and I had plans for the summer and dreams for our family's future together.

Twelve hours later I was on CCU plugged into a monitor with fluid around my heart secondary to a diagnosis of adult T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. I've not been home since.

Statistically my chances aren't great but statistics don't apply to individuals and leukaemia hasn't met me before. My personal survival statistics calculated by me and based on stubbornness, amazing support from family, friends and my mumsnet backup crew and the healing powers of 3 small children are 100% and I won't accept less.

I have superpowers. I have grown three entire human beings. Piddly little leukaemic cells haven't got a hope.

But.....at times I am very scared. This should not be happening to me. It's was not how I planned to spend my maternity leave. My precious year when I was just going to be their mum and nothing else.

This is my second thread but I'm not going to link back as I'm moving forward. Thank you for moving forward with me.

Biscuits x

Glad that you've got through today Biscuits. Any idea how long it'll be before you're told the results.

Hope that Weebarra's doing well too. Another amazing, take it all in her stride MN'er.

There really are some incredible people here in our midsts.

What is a shees toastie?!

Loving your latest update! Great to know it went well and that the sedatives did their job.

And weebarra too, I hope your surgery is over and that you too are recovering doped up on some fab painkillers

Omg.

Must not post on Internet when stoned.
Must not post on Internet when stoned.
Must not post on Internet when stoned.

Well suffice to say I really appreciated your support and made Mr biscuits pass me the ipad while I still had to lie on my back so I could update you all ASAP.

And the shees toastie was very good!

I remember the procedure. From a distance and the lovely consultant used local anaesthetic too which helped a lot. It hurt but not like last time when my screams disturbed the cardiology consultant in his office to the extent he overruled the nurses and gave me more sedation himself :-)

But I don't remember the hour afterwards at all.

Then once I could be left and had taken the oxygen off mr biscuits got sent for lunch as I was starving. Because my neutrophils are over 0.5 a hot cheese and tuna toastie from the hospital cafe is safe but I can't usually get them so he did a mercy dash! It was amazing :-) though my spelling wasn't

A sheesh kebab toastie could be interesting though.

Am a little sore and slept most of the afternoon but so pleased it is over.

Have also been given a little treat for tomorrow.... If my blood count stays good and I stay with my brother, he and I can have lunch n the hospital cafe tomorrow when he comes :-)

I don't even know where the cafe is! It's so exciting!

Basically until they start the next chemo next week my blood count should temporariliy keep getting better every day so less risk of infections and I get a weeks respite from having to be uber über paranoid and just get to be moderately paranoid. They might let me have some fresh fruit and salad! Whoop whoop!

Thank you for being there and big hugs and shout out to my thread buddy weebarra

Please don't censor your off your head posts! glad life is getting more sociable. go neutrophils.

I don't think I will :-)
It's me warts and all x

I get it now! Loving your stoned posts biscuits, but I did temporarily lose touch!

Your neutrophils are rising to the challenge admirably! I'm imagining them being in charge of the naughty step!

Love the stoned post and the uplifting post afterwards!! You are doing amazingly well, go easy in the café tomorrow :)

Love the shees toastie and enjoy the cafe outing.....

Hilarious sedation post biscuits! Glad things are on the up. And to think you could be home soon. Yippee!

Well done! Glad you had a high from the drugs. Enjoy the outing with your bro! - how exciting to leave your room.
Hope you went OK weebarra.

So glad it went well - and you sound amazing. See, the neutrophil cheerleading is working.....hope you find the cafe ok!

Weebarra, hope you are ok too.

Biscuits, can I just say you are fricking hilarious as well as an inspiration.

glad it went well.

random fact, at the weekend I bought a retro Frosties Tiger tin-- to keep biscuits in.

eh??!!

Very relieved to hear it went ok.

Even more relieved that sheesh toasties aren't real

Hi Biscuits glad to have found you again! You are kicking ass which is super- keep it up. Lots of love. And you weebarra xx Praying for you both

oooh here you are! I see I did miss lots of excitement! Gosh - it's all go isn't it?

How exciting and all fingers crossed!

Well done biscuits. Was pleased to see you got the good drugs :)

Glad it went well biscuits. The toastie sounded like it hit the spot!

Hope you are doing ok too weebarra, waves from a fellow scot x

Morning! Hope you had a good night biscuits - I did, with aaalll the drugs. No sheesh toasties but I did have a tuna sandwich at midnight! Off all wire and tubes aparts from my drains.
Glorious sunny day and I can see bunny rabbits from my window. Onwards and upwards stale people!

Ooooh, fab to hear from you too weebarra, glad to hear it all went well!
Bunny rabbits and tuna toasties sound fabulous!

Hang in there both of you, stay stale xx

Morning to Biscuits and weebarra!

Glad to hear you've both got through tough days with your sunny dispositions intact. Hope they keep the painkillers up today and we can look forward to more William Burroughs-esque posting.

Morning weebarra. Lovely to hear that yesterday went well, and you're being well looked after.

Bunnies from your window? That sounds lovely and relaxing.

Hope you slept well Biscuits and that today's bloods bring more and more neutrophils.

Xxx

Morning both
Good to hear you sounding so good weebarra - glad yesterday's over for you both! Hope you had a decent night biscuits.

Morning weebarra! Hope those bunnies are behaving. Glad to hear things are going well and you had a good sleep.

Biscuits I can't get the tune 'it's rauning men' out of my head whenever I read this thread. all good. Hope your trip to the cafe feels good and you have a lovely time with your brother.

.

And I want a retro Frosties tiger biscuit tin too now!