24 August. The AIHA is back with a vengence. Because I presented with a white cell count of 220,000 (should be about 10,000) I was admitted that day for chemo as an in-patient. The last time I had this treatment it ended in Septacaemia which made me very ill. This was a factor in deciding to halve the dose of FC (treatment) for the time being and when the white cell count dropped, to add Rituximab (another type of chemo). I had to have 3 bags of blood transfused before they could start which was a problem in itself. Any transfusion I have has to be irradiated and the blood bank in Bristol was snowed under. It took over 24 hours to arrive with my doctor telling them to get on and 'blue light' it up the motorway. Anyway, the new blood stopped the symptoms of the AIHA and had I no problem with the chemo at 50% dose.
They spoiled me rotten in the hospital, we had lots of giggles, including one about my doses of Sennacot and perhaps a sunami in the loo in my room....... Another was that my potassium was down so if I agreed to eat at least 2 bananas a day, then they would cut a dose of the awful Sando stuff (like 2 tablets of sterident for false teeth in water)......I was never sure if I had ordered my bananas (chemobrain) so at one stage my room looked like a market stall! After 8 days they let me out for good behaviour.

I am back on the steroids (oh joy) and my surgery has supplied me with a blood pricker as my glucose level is higher than they would like.
On Wednesay 9th Sept I learned that the half dose of FC chemo didn't work at all. We were supposed to wait about 4-6 weeks before starting again, but agreed the white cell count is too high (177,000) and best to go ahead with more chemo asap. If we could get the count down, then we can hit on the head with Rituximab). Well, that was last Wednesday.

Early Thursday last week (12.30am) I woke up with chest pain radiating up to my jaw/teeth. I can't believe I just left it, but I did, my reasoning being that I didn't want to go back into hospital - how daft is that? My husband was in the den and I didn't tell him, I just waited for it to pass (what a complete idiot I am) and then funnily enough I went back to sleep. I told him the next morning but the pain was gone and so I carried on as usual. By lunchtime I could feel tightness building so my husband drove me to my GP. No doctors on duty as it was lunchtime! However, the practise nurse took control and told me off (nicely), did an ecg and phoned 999 I was taken to hospital by ambulance where I spent the night in Medical Assessment Unit. This is not my usual hospital as we had to go to the nearest Accident and Emergency dept to where I live. Because of my previous angina I was really worried, especially being due to start chemo again on Monday, but I was discharged late Friday afternoon. They did cardiac enzyme tests, chest xray etc but it is not believed to be a cardiac problem, just treatment, CLL, AIHA etc etc.

By Monday 14th SeptemberI was a bit of a mess, lifeless, exhausted and shaking, I can't begin to explain how I felt. I went to my usual hospital to start the full dose of chemo. I have chosen to have this by the iv method and it went well, so far anti-sickness pills are working wonders and I haven't been to see the Big White Chief (but I won't crow too soon). When I explained how ill I have been feeling, my doctor told me that my leukaemia is 'very active'. Can you just imagine all those little cells being very active? Doing what? running marathons??? I finished the last lot of chemo this morning for this cycle. We've been going in every day which is very tiring for both of us. At least I get to lay on the bed and play the lady. We have these great electronic beds, but yesterday I pushed the wrong buttons and the bed ended up in a V shape with my bum down in the V. Actually it was quite comfy until a nurse rescued me and got the bed rebooted. My lovely man has been coming and going and he's totally worn out. I'm not sure how I would react if the tables were reversed. Strangely enough you might think I would get a little depressed here, but | am feeling confident (must be the cyclizine which I believe is a choice of drug for some addicts).

If my WBC is down to 22,000 on Monday 21st September I am to begin Rituximab. Wish me luck.