Nothing to see here... move along now

Thought I should round off this blog with an update of where I have got to.

Not a backward step in sight and am still well ahead of the plan with regards to timing.

I am now down to 3 weekly / monthly visits to Melbourne however still have appointments in Bendigo on most days of the week. The specialists tell me I probably still have 6 to 8 weeks of being messed around with and some minor procedures that need to be done.

Should all this go well and they not find anything astray, I plan to return to work mid June. This is well ahead of the August date that they have penciled me in for but I do have support from the boss specialist who understands that staying at home, and doing not much at all, is equally as detrimental to my health - not to mention my waistline !!!

So, to wrap things up, I want to thank everyone for their kind wishes, visits, emails, phone calls of support and the gifts. It has really meant a lot to me and I am sure has helped me to maintain a positive outlook which has ensured the success of the operation. I need to remain mindful that a transplant is a treatment and not a cure and therefore must keep my eye on my health for the rest of my life. Not such a bad thing and when contrasted against how magnificent I feel, is hardly a trade off.

Now the pitch....  I have been given a second chance at life through the phenomenal gift of a donor organ from an equally phenomenal person. If you are ever in the position to do the same, let the opportunity warm your heart and at least have a think about it. I'm sure these words will come back to you every time you have me on the phone taking serious amounts of mickey out of you    ;-)

Thanks again...
Carlos

Lucy in the sky with diamonds...

Oh my Aunties hat these drugs are good !!

2 weeks home now and am well over the operation, just dealing with the fantastic side effects of the medication. Anyone need a tattoo ??..  I could give one now without an electric ink gun with the shakes I have.

The immune suppression drugs really mess with your head. Apart from the shakes, I am also extremely "jumpy". As in, if I'm walking down the street and someone closes a car door a bit loud, I hit the floor faster than Colonel Gadaffi at chinese new year !!  The family find this entertaining but it's not much fun from my perspective. It will get better as the Docs back off the number of tablets I'm currently on. I hope   :)

Now only once a week in Melbourne being a Friday. It was a bit silly going down on a Monday as no new results were in and we were just revisiting the discussion that was previously held on the Friday anyway. I have discovered that unless you raise the "insanity" of the process, they are more than happy to have you travel for 4 hours, wait another 3 hours in the waiting rooms for a 5 minute appointment. Madness !

Looking at the big picture though, all of this is just a minor inconvenience when traded off against how much better I feel...  Will be back on a bike in no time. Now that should be interesting when I stop to let a pink elephant or unicorn into the lane I'm in....

Keep smiling... I am

... a week at home

What a difference being home makes. The sky is blue, the sun is out and not a "medico" to be seen !!

Have enjoyed a trouble free week and have taken it easy. Still had my plethora of appointments however they were no hassle and everything went well. Actually got to live a little this weekend. Went to the Top Gear show in Melbourne with the boys and a couple of good friends. Also went down for coffee with the guys from the bike club this morning and it was great to catch up with them again.

Hopefully now I can gradually weave my appointments into somewhat of a normal life for a while. Still being very careful not to over do it though as I'm no where near fit  just yet. Need to get back on my diet as what I thought was fluid I think is here for good if I don't do something and the steroids give me a wicked appetite...  damn..  ;-)

COME ON BANGLADESH !!!!!!

Baby did a bad bad thing..

Day 2 and I went into the shed..

God I love the smell of 2 stroke in the morning !!

All good, only started 2 or maybe 6 bikes and just re-aquainted myself with the inner biker, nothing too stressful.

Grinning like a cow chewing cactus..   ;-)

Cheque please ......

I have escaped....

All did go well this morning and they have let me out. This is great and also gives me confidence that I am going well as the Doctors are ultra conservative and if they are happy for me  to return to Bendigo and just check in with them twice a week, I must be going well.

Got home this afternoon to be met at the door by a huge hamper of fresh fruit and goodies from my friends and  SAP superstars from Perth. Thanks heaps guys, very much appreciated !!

With my renewed vigour for life, I think I also need a  new role model / inspiration. Charlie Sheen is front runner at the moment with a watching brief on Matthew Newton and Ricky Nixon.  ;-)

It's great to be home and out of the "Hospital System". It's now a matter of checking in with the Melbourne doctors on a Monday and Friday with midweek visits to my specialist in Bendigo. I'm very fortunate in that my Bendigo based specialist used to lead the renal (kidney) team at the Austin in Melbourne so he has an enormous amount of respect amongst the Melbourne team which has no doubt influenced the decision to let me come home.

I have promised everyone that I wont get carried away by being home and agreed to not go into the shed for at least two weeks. We'll see how that goes eh ?

Truly a great day and feeling a million dollars.

Bring it on world !!!!

.... are we there yet ?

Another exciting week in the Hotel California.. I must be getting better as I am becoming
increasingly cranky with being stuck in the hospital system.

Good news this week is that all going well with my appointments tomorrow, I should be able to
check out of the Medi-Hotel tomorrow and head home... for good !!

I will need to come down to Melbourne on a Monday and Friday for at least another 3 weeks
but can do my mid week blood tests and check up with my specialist in Bendigo. This a great
result and while a little inconvenient for the family ( I can't drive for another 3 weeks), will be so
much better than climbing the walls stuck in Melbourne.

All must be going well as this is at least 2 weeks ahead of the original schedule that was laid
out for me.

Thanks to all for their continued kind wishes and cards etc..  I hope my friends in Perth are
coping with the heat OK. We haven't really had a summer in Victoria and it's now getting
cooler of an evening and even the days are fresh.

Stay tuned..  next post will be from home where I'll be a much happier camper.

We gotta get out of this place...

You ripper...  I'm free for a day  !!

Get to go home this morning and come back tomorrow afternoon.

It's only a brief "escape" but will break up the stay in Melbourne.