Transplant +984: Grumbles
After a stop/start year for treatment I had my first maintenance dose of Rituximab since September on Friday morning. Strictly speaking I was below the neutrophil count required (1.3 vs the normal threshold of 1.5 for treatment) but it was determined that the benefit outweighed the risk. To counteract the mild neutropenia and rather more severe lymphocytopenia I have at the moment I’ve been prescribed a course of GCSF injections over the next couple of months, alongside the daily antibiotics and antivirals. Lovely.
So my immune system is really not playing ball at the moment. This is a worry in normal times, but rather more stressful at the moment as the world tries to vaccinate its way out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although I’ve had both doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine there’s a strong chance it won’t be very effective in me. That’s not surprising given that research into other vaccines in blood cancer patients show similar poor responses. I imagine that I will be taking more precautions than most for the foreseeable future.
It’s all a bit rubbish really but I’m not going to grumble. Well, not too much anyway. Where there’s life there’s hope, after all. The cyber bunny in the stream in Ashburton that I saw on our holiday a few days ago agrees with me.
Bummer. I hope your immune system gets into gear. Meanwhile, what better excuse to take Gnu out with a fancy hamper full of tea and cake so you can enjoy outings to beautiful places uninfested by others x
I was hoping to take Gnu out to play this morning, but still not quite recovered from the treatment on Friday. Next weekend looks good though!