Feeling better again

Well, it took a few weeks, but I finally feel like I'm over the virus. I really take my hat off to the staff at the hospital who looked after me so well. I feel that there was no effort (or expense) spared in treating me and giving me the best fighting chance to beat the virus. Clearly the immunoglobulins and antivirals helped a lot - unpleasant as they were at the time. I'm still feeling the effects of the medication, though, as the antivirals made me anaemic. While my red blood counts are slowly rising, it'll be a few weeks before I'm fully up to speed. I have a blood test weekly to monitor this and ensure it's going in the right direction.

I am also more cautious about where I go these days and who I meet. A chance meeting with someone with a cold could put me in hospital again, until my lymphocyte count gets back to normal. I don't want that, so I'll be watching people closely everywhere I go, and will work from home as much as I can, in order to minimise my exposure to bugs. Just for a few more months until my immune system is stronger.

But, overall I'm still positive. This was a virus and nothing to do with Lymphoma. In the grand scheme of things, It's all looking good.

Back home

The drugs are finally all administered and I managed to get home late yesterday evening. Now it's all about resting and recuperating.
There is one potential sting in the tail - one of the drugs I've been taking has a side effect of making you anaemic. Indeed, my latest blood test shows my red blood count to be very low. As a result, I will probably need a blood transfusion on Thursday. Something to look forward to, as I was already starting to miss the hospital 😀
On the positive side, it's great to be home to see Sue, the kids and the dog again.

More drugs than you can shake a stick at

Remember I said that after 30 hours of IV immunoglobulins, all the medicine was in and all I need to do is wait for it to work its magic? well, it turns out I need another dose - same again, 20 to 30 hours on a drip. Not sure how that happened and how we lost track, but luckily someone was keeping count and realised I still needed more.
So, here I am back on the drip until sometime tomorrow. I think the nurses are relieved because I am starting to feel better and was getting a bit frisky - does nobody get Fr. Ted jokes anymore?
The other drawback with this new drip is I won't be able to do any household chores for the next two months. The doctor didn't explicitly say that, but I could tell that's what he meant. Actually, I think he meant six months, but I love Sue too much and will gladly sacrifice myself and help her out after Christmas.

The medicine is in, now we wait

It took over 30 hours, but the IV Immunoglobulin is all in. It finished in the early hours of this morning. Now I just wait for this and some antiviral tablets to halt the spread of the virus. I guess I'll know when things start to improve as my temperature will stop spiking and I feel generally better within myself. Dunno when this might be, so I could be here for a few days yet.

Feeling a bit tender today - probably a combination of the drugs and the virus. I think it'll be a mixture of snoozing and watching rugby today.

Beware of the goblins

I was hoping the intravenous immunoglobulins would go smoothly, but no such luck. they started the infusion slowly so that if there was a reaction it would be lighter than if I got the full dose from the start. That went fine so they stepped it up to the next level. That, too, went fine so they stepped it up again - that's when the rigors started. The most violent and uncontrollable shaking I've ever had. I'm sure they must have heard my teeth chattering from the other side of the ward. it came on really fast, but so did the medical team - they quickly gave me an antihistamine shot and the shivers died down within about twenty minutes. I'm in such good hands here.

I took a break for a couple of hours and we restarted the infusion back at the slowest rate. Fully aware that I might have another reaction, but I really want these antibodies in my system to fight this virus. It took all night, but I eventually finished the first of four bottles. I'll be hooked up for the rest of today and probably tonight, but at least I'm getting the medicine I need.

On the positive side, I've gotten out of hoovering the house for another week AND I have plenty of time while lying here to hatch a scheme to get out of more chores next week........

Goblins

Immunoglobulins are antibodies that your body produces in response to bacteria or viruses. So when you catch a cold, for example, you get over it once you produce antibodies to fight that virus.
My goblin levels are low so I will be getting a top up over the next couple of days. These antibodies will target the RSV virus directly, so I should get the upper hand against it by the weekend.
The treatment will start this morning.

Caught a virus, back in hospital

I haven't been feeling well for a few weeks - nothing major, it felt like I was fighting a cold and I was managing it fine with paracetamol.  However, over the weekend it seemed to go up a notch, my temperature was steadily climbing and I started getting the shakes.

I came into the hospital on Monday, just so see what is going on and they found a virus that concerns them. It's called RSV and in someone with a strong immune system it would cause a few days of sniffles and a minor cough. For me, there is a risk it'll go to my lungs, causing bronchiolitis. so we don't want that. But to fight it, I have to take some drugs with potentially strong side effects. My blood counts need to be monitored every day, and some of the drugs are delivered intravenously. So I'll need to stay in until the course of treatment completes and I am showing signs of being well again. I might get home this weekend. watch this space.....