Holidays - again!
This year was our 40th wedding anniversary, so we decided to visit our favourite places. In October we went down to Cornwall but we arrived on the south coast just as a very bad storm hit the coastal village where we were staying!
Having said that, we had a very eventful weekend and it was lovely to see places we hadn't seen for some time.
From here we moved over to the north coast to stay there because we had been there since before we were married. On our way home we realised why we hadn't revisited it before now. The south coast just seems to have more of a pull for us, probably because it was where we had always taken our son and I have so many photos of him growing up there.
Healthwise it was uneventful for me, which was nice for a change!
In late November I started with a really bad virus which affected my throat. I got a little worried that I was having trouble swallowing again and I was snoring too - not a good sign. Due to my compromised immune system, I really suffer things badly now.
At the beginning of December we went somewhere exotic, Barbados! This really is our favourite place and I was lucky to finally book a hotel we had been wanting to visit for years.
As expected, I was bitten on the first day, so the medical kit kicked in. I was still having trouble swallowing but, amazingly, it suddenly stopped! It was a great relief, because I felt that it wasn't the MCL rearing it's ugly head yet. We had a lovely, relaxing trip, which is just what I needed and did me the world of good.
On my return to the UK I saw my consultant, not long after I had stopped the steriods for the bites. My lymphocytes were slightly elevated, but he attributed that to the steroids. I explained about my throat and he wasn't thrilled when he examined it, so he sent me for an MRI.
That took place a few days later and I wished it had been a longer gap, because I felt I was still suffering with the virus. I went back to see him for the results and he showed me the cross section of my throat. Instead of there being a black hole, there was a black slit - not good.
He asked me if I wanted to start treatment, as he was now prepared to offer it to me. He explained that things have moved on since we first discussed treatment at our initial meeting. Now it would be immunotherapy, not radio and chemo.
The thing about MCL is that currently there is no cure. Once treatment starts it's the slippery slope downwards, as it would only last about 18 months and then treatment starts again. I don't have any other symptoms and I told him that I felt I could cope with my throat at the moment so I was declining the offer. He wanted to see me in three weeks time, mid January.
So, off I went to Berlin at the beginning of January with three friends. This was an Egyptology trip for us, as I wanted to see the bust of Nefertiti at the Neues Museum before it was too late! We had a great time and I was so glad we went. Another thing ticked off on my bucket list!
Having said that, we had a very eventful weekend and it was lovely to see places we hadn't seen for some time.
From here we moved over to the north coast to stay there because we had been there since before we were married. On our way home we realised why we hadn't revisited it before now. The south coast just seems to have more of a pull for us, probably because it was where we had always taken our son and I have so many photos of him growing up there.
Healthwise it was uneventful for me, which was nice for a change!
In late November I started with a really bad virus which affected my throat. I got a little worried that I was having trouble swallowing again and I was snoring too - not a good sign. Due to my compromised immune system, I really suffer things badly now.
At the beginning of December we went somewhere exotic, Barbados! This really is our favourite place and I was lucky to finally book a hotel we had been wanting to visit for years.
As expected, I was bitten on the first day, so the medical kit kicked in. I was still having trouble swallowing but, amazingly, it suddenly stopped! It was a great relief, because I felt that it wasn't the MCL rearing it's ugly head yet. We had a lovely, relaxing trip, which is just what I needed and did me the world of good.
On my return to the UK I saw my consultant, not long after I had stopped the steriods for the bites. My lymphocytes were slightly elevated, but he attributed that to the steroids. I explained about my throat and he wasn't thrilled when he examined it, so he sent me for an MRI.
That took place a few days later and I wished it had been a longer gap, because I felt I was still suffering with the virus. I went back to see him for the results and he showed me the cross section of my throat. Instead of there being a black hole, there was a black slit - not good.
He asked me if I wanted to start treatment, as he was now prepared to offer it to me. He explained that things have moved on since we first discussed treatment at our initial meeting. Now it would be immunotherapy, not radio and chemo.
The thing about MCL is that currently there is no cure. Once treatment starts it's the slippery slope downwards, as it would only last about 18 months and then treatment starts again. I don't have any other symptoms and I told him that I felt I could cope with my throat at the moment so I was declining the offer. He wanted to see me in three weeks time, mid January.
So, off I went to Berlin at the beginning of January with three friends. This was an Egyptology trip for us, as I wanted to see the bust of Nefertiti at the Neues Museum before it was too late! We had a great time and I was so glad we went. Another thing ticked off on my bucket list!
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