Chemo 2 ! !

Liesl's had her hours changed so that she has every Wednesday off. This is partly because my chemo schedule is every third Wednesday for the next 15 weeks - that's 5 doses.
I'll get another CT scan to check on progress after Chemo 3 and another after Chemo 6. If the n-hl is still there, I'll get another two doses.
The first dose as an outpatient is today!

It means a return to Ward 1 where I went on the day I had to be re-admitted. I can't remember much about it then as it was so busy - lots of people sitting on comfy chairs with not many to spare.
Luckily, I get sent to Area 4 (of 4) and it's quite quiet and very bright and sunny. It's not really like a hospital at all - more like a local health centre with big, comfy chairs. Here's a tip if you're ever unfortunate enough to have to go as a patient - pick one of the electric chairs that lets you put your feet up. They're much more comfy when you invariably dose off.
Given a bit of luck, the whole process should take about three and a half hours. Unfortunately, I haven't given a prior blood sample at my docs, so I do that, then get sent away for an hour and a half while they wait on the results.
We go along to Stockbridge for a braw breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs on a muffin.

It's all systems go when we get back.
Pre-meds including Piritin which makes me very drowsy and fights against allergies. Then the Rituximab goes in via a drip and takes about two hours. This is when I fall asleep. Then it's the bolus injections again which take about 40 minutes. All in all it's taken nearly six hours and I'm knackered!
Let's get hame!

The main news story today is that David Cameron's son, Ivan, has died after a short and difficult life. Prime Minister's Questions was suspended so that tributes could be paid.
How come it takes a tragedy to get MPs to act like civilised human beings?