Testing Times

Well, I've been in to Toulouse hospital and am back to 'work' a little sooner than I thought. There was a little confusion (or lost in translation) over when I was to go in to hospital; I received a phone call last Tuesday asking where I was! I ended up going in last Wednesday afternoon and found out that I was scheduled for the operating theatre on the Thursday. They were planning to pass a probe through a vein to get an accurate picture of the heart. However, just before lunch I was told that it was off. So, I was a little bemused when a porter took me and my bed down to the theatre at about 4 pm. I just assumed that they'd decided to proceed after all but no ... the surgeon (a young girl) came into the theatre to apologise to me as the procedure was cancelled; my platelets were too low and it would have been dangerous.

However, whilst I was at Toulouse, I had a 24 hour blood pressure recording and an ECG carried out for 24 hours, I had an echocardiograph, I had to blow into a tube to analyse my lung capacity and the take up of oxygen, and finally I had to pedal on an exercise bike to ascertain my stamina. So .... they've got plenty to look at and they're talking of calling me back in a month's time. Not as quick as I'd hoped but, nevertheless, it gives me longer to get over the effects of the chemo!

Today was my first day of 'normality'! And I was able to start my new duties as under-gardener. The plan is to spend the mornings in the garden, helping to keep it all tidy.



I was, of course, suitably supervised!



My afternoons will be spent in the house and today I carried on with the tiling. A fruitful day!