It’s been three months since I posted… Sorry about that. I had better intentions, but they were ultimately futile. My only excuse is that I was doing an oxford/goldman Sachs business course, And those guys kept me busy! It was called the 10,000 small businesses course, And I met some excellent chaps on it. It’s I’ve now though, And I am homework free, except for the obvious running if the company.

Anyway I digress. I am once more in the hospital waiting for my appointment. I had four hours sleep after the Christmas party and have already interviewed someone today. I feel surprisingly good.

Even so these tests are never far apart enough that I can forget about it. I also know that both jo and I have been thinking about my cancer more since we had a child. When you are non sprogged you live for the moment, or the next holiday. With a child you think about them grown up, or the first day of school. Or what they would be like as a teenager. We do this kind of thing quite a lot, And so we also.thibk of my cancer more now too.

Ultimately it’s impossible to know if I’ll be there to see those things. To be fair I guess it is for everyone, but I would say I’m more specifically worried about it. 

Last blood test my red cells had dropped a lot. They were at 150, or the lowest acceptable score and still average. They had dropped from 200 or so the test before. Now 64% of people with lymphoma exhibit a low red platelet count.

Your spleen filters all of the old red cells out and replaces them. When it enlarges it can start to filter healthy red cells as well, leading to a drop in the amount you have. There is also a sub condition of lymphoma which means the red cells really drop (immune thrombocytopenic purpura)
Having just seen the doctor he seemed very relaxed about the drop in platelets. He also said I looked well and he couldn’t detect my spleen today. When I asked about the conditions he firmly shut me down. He had a student nurse in, so was all business, which I liked. Having run through my condition he noted my lymph nodes in my neck were slightly enlarged, but attributed this shotty (feeling like gun pellets) down to fighting off a cold or similar. 

They then set my next check up is for a years time, saying I didn’t need to go in, in nine months and they were happy to extend it.

In December 2017 I’ll be four and a half years diagnosed, six months from 5. At five years 75% of people are still alive, so that’s pretty good. Then it’ll be on to 10 and a 50/50% stat on survival.

I’m not waiting for my bloods and then back to the office to work. I feel pretty positive after seeing the doctor, always a nice side effect before Christmas. I won’t find out my results until Jan now, so I can ignore it all and have a nice break from.work!

Anyway, feeling upbeat, got another year until my next test (bloods permitting) And off to work. Have a good Christmas and new year everyone!