Still here

I don't really know where to start on this blog so will just plunge on in. I got through my course with a good mark of 78% for that last assignment and an exam which seemed to go ok. I won't know any final results for a good few weeks so am trying to put all that to the back of my mind. I got very stressed out towards the end because in the last couple of months I have been diagnosed with skin cancer and the hives from the last post turned out to be vasculitis. Luckily they got all the cancer in an operation and it has very little chance of returning, but I need to be monitored and the vasculitis seems like a one off but also needs keeping an eye on.

However yesterday I went to clinic with a very long list of issues with the top one being my blood pressure. I am finding it very stressful and because the staff are getting increasingly twitchy about it that has added to how I have felt. I had a full and frank discussion with my consultant but unfortunately as I suspected there are only one or two things they can do to help keep me feeling ok and nothing more can be done to treat it. What has happened is that long term dialysis and/or uraemia-that is the technical name for the toxins in my system that the dialysis can't remove has destroyed some nerve receptors. Therefore the only things known to work are very heavy duty ITU drugs which work directly on the heart and vessels, which is why I would be there for a transplant. I am disappointed nothing can be done as it is impacting on my life, but my mind has been put at rest up to a point because I was getting concerned something serious would happen, especially when I was feeling really fragile after dialysis. If I get to a point when I am passing out there maybe stuff they can try but it is all experimental and my consultant fairly doesn't want to go that route until such a time I physically cannot cope and my life is seriously impaired.

Anyway onto brighter news. With my blood pressure issues I am worried about going on holiday and being cared for in a unit that doesn't know me. But that doesn't mean weekend's away are out and this weekend all being well we are off to a country hotel in Berkshire. The plan is to go to London and Windsor to do some shopping and site seeing and to have a generally chilled out weekend. I am hoping the weather cools down a bit though as it won't be so easy in the temperatures we are having at the moment, but it is looking like it will be better by then thankfully. We haven't made absolute firm plans of what we will be doing as I never quite know how I will feel, but I am determined come what may to make the most of it. I will also be taking a camera so if I can will put some photos here next week. But it does mean that Mack and Mabel will be taking their first holiday in the cattery, which if they knew I don't think they would be all that happy about. They should be fine though as we have used the place before and had no issues, but I think when we pick them up on Monday we will be given the cold shoulder by them.

Talking of Mack and Mabel they are now nearly two which I cannot believe and are both fine, but we don't see either of them much in this weather. When they do venture in they are both freaked out by the fan going in the lounge so only hang around for food at the moment. They are also calming down and although Mack still has his moments with being destructive it is nothing like it was when it nearly sent us demented. They are both really loving and when there isn't a fan in the room will come over for a fuss quite often. Both like their tummies rubbed but Mabel will actually somersault against your leg to tell you which always makes me laugh.