Tuesday, 28th October

This morning the hospital phoned to say that the medical aid has requested that Jimmy have another bone marrow biopsy before they will consider the stem cell transplant.

A bone marrow biopsy is not sooooooo bad if you can prepare yourself for it and the pain.  This was quite unexpected so we dashed through for his 11:30 appointment.  They always give Jimmy Pethidine about 30 minutes before which definitely helps.  Shame, I think today was an eina one because I heard Jimmy moaning during the procedure.  Jimmy has been having Zobone infusions monthly for the last few months and Prof reckons they must be doing a good job at strengthening his bones.  Yay....a positive!

We should get the results of the bone marrow biopsy in about 10 working days after which Prof will submit his motivation for stem cell transplant again, with the bone marrow biopsy results.  I also asked today if Jimmy's last M protein results were back but they are also still waiting for these, so I will phone tomorrow at which time they can also give me the results of his full blood count today so that we have got an idea of where we stand with regard to his white and red blood counts.

Naturally my mind went into over analysing mode;  Is the fact that the medical aid requested a bone marrow biopsy a good thing or a bad thing?  It is a good thing because this and the M protein reading are both good markers as to how he is reacting to chemotherapy.  Better to rely on both than just one. But it also means that instead of going ahead with stem cell transplant things are now delayed for a minimum of 14 days.  The fact that the medical aid are asking for this means that a specialist at the medical aid is looking at Jimmy's results...I think this is a good thing because we are now not only relying on Prof Novitzky's opinion.  If there is no change in the cancer burden (bone marrow biopsy results) will they say he has to try another chemo first to see if it can bring down the numbers before he has stem cell transplant? And to be honest I could go on and on.....but why stress myself out about this when it is not in our control.

And in case you are wondering......yes, I did look at the calendar again and this does mean that if the medical aid give us the go ahead for stem cell transplant then Jimmy will be in F4 Isolation Ward over Christmas.  I hope UCTPAH has a chimney!

I thought I would add some photos to give you an idea of what a bone marrow biopsy entails.

Monday, 27th October

Another week has flown by...

We spent another weekend away camping, this time we stayed at Gaansbaai.  A lovely, no frills caravan park right on the beach front with nice grassed sites and lovely clean ablutions.  The wind was a bit hectic but from what I have heard it was just as bad at home.  My Mom and Dad joined us for the whole weekend and I can honestly say we came home feeling very rested and relaxed.  Thanks to my parents for a lovely weekend and to my darling husband for great company.

Our site right on the beach front at sunset



Jimmy and I were chatting over the weekend and I brought up how sometimes things are done for no real reason and then they make sense later on.  We went on holiday with Stan and Michelle at the beginning of January when we camped at Camdeboo National Park and Karroo National Park.  While we were there, Jimmy got a bee in his bonnet and decided that we wanted to sell our Bushwakka trailer and buy a 4x4 caravan.  We walked around the park and saw a really nice one, asked the owners if we could have a look at the layout etc and how they found it.  We got back from holiday and advertised the trailer which we sold and bought the caravan.  The strange thing is that if we hadn't sold the Bushwakka we would never be able to go camping now like we are with Jimmy being sick as there is no way I could set up camp by myself.  Jimmy would also not manage climbing up the ladder to where our bed was above the trailer.  I would never have been able to hitch up or unhitch the trailer by myself either.  And the nice thing about camping is that even though Jimmy's counts are low and his immunity is compromised we can go away for a few days and we are never near a crowd of people.  Even having breakfast in a B&B would be a problem if someone else in the dinning room is sick.  Unfortunately I think this will be the last time we can go away until next year as once the whole stem cell transplant process starts Jimmy will either be confined to home or in hospital.  But you never know.....maybe we are lucky and can just pop down to Imhoff Caravan Park in Kommetjie for a weekend at some stage.

We had quite a busy week at home having the alarm system seen to, the irrigation system repaired and all our trees trimmed.  I also spent some more time in the garden.  I've got my work cut out for me this week as there are 2 bakkie loads of wood chips in the driveway waiting to be spread in the garden beds.

We had some distressing news on Friday.  As you know Ilhaam sent off Prof Novitzky's motivation for Jimmy's stem cell transplant on Monday last week.  Well, on Friday she phoned to say that it had been turned down.  This was a huge shock and when I asked her if this was out of the ordinary she said that it was the first case of one being turned down since she has been Prof's PA. She re-assured me and said we must not panic.  The reason given was very medical and she did not know what it meant but has passed it on to Prof.  She says that Prof would never have motivated for stem cell transplant if he thought there was the slightest possibility that it would be turned down and that he will deal with it.  She seems to think that it is something that Prof would have to explain and further motivate.  So now we sit and wait again.  We don't know when he will be finished so that Ilhaam can re-submit and whenever this is we will probably have to wait a week for an answer.  It really is cutting things fine for having Jimmy home for Christmas.

We should, sometime this week, get Jimmy's last M protein reading back and I am keeping everything crossed that these have come down, even if just by a teeny weeny bit.