Round 6

In answer to Elaine's daily prayer, white cell levels enabled round 6 to go ahead as planned. About 3 hours at hospital, preceded by about an hour at my "virtual office desk", and this evening an hour or so trying to get the 2006 church accounts printed off for the auditor, interspersed with Skype call with Ruth in Albania, and lying on the settee. We've been given the hospital appointments for the next six weeks, which gives us a better idea of shape than the two week horizon we've generally been working to.
Miriam and Besi flew back today - temperature in Durres reported as 23 degrees, but cloudy. We'd taken them to my brother in Reading yesterday, and they caught the train today from there to Gatwick. We trust their bulging cases got past the BA check-in - they're now very strict on not sharing allowances (ie every bag must be below 23kg, you can't borrow the 22kg of your wife to get 24kg allowed on yours - a real jobsworth's charter.) Although they have enjoyed their four weeks here, they'll be glad to settle back into normal life - whatever that is??! Our love D&E

Catch-up

I meet friends, and they tell me "Dave, you're leaving us in the lurch - it's too long since you last posted" - trouble is my approach to life has always been - if you've nothing to say keep quiet! But round 5 has been good, energy levels not as low as last time, and now I'm back at the end of week 2 and conscious of much that could fill today on top of the 5 or 6 hours I'll spend "in the office".
We ended week 1 in a 4* hotel in Berkshire, a birthday present for Elaine, and a refreshing 24 hour break for us both - lovely grounds where we walked for over an hour, and then the main lounge to ourselves, coffee and newspapers on the house!
Great to see some of you at Miriam and Besi's presentation last Sunday - a reminder of the blessing that comes from being body together, and not just leading isolated lives. Their task between now and Tuesday flight to cram in those last minute visits, to cram their overflowing suitcases, and to finish the shower - only joking Besi! - but you know that the tiling will be good practice for when you build your own house this summer!
Pete and Ruth joined us last week-end, and Stephen will be with us this week-end. A friend from church visited Maki and Ruth last week-end, and brought back photos of Amelia, growing in size, in smiles, and in likeness to her father. We thank God for them all, and for all of you. D & E

Back online

Day one of round 5, and hooked up once again to chemo. Just back from 4 hours hospital. Initial concern that my neotrophil count was too low for chemo(ie below 1) - measure of white blood cells ability to fight infection - apparently lowest in 2nd/3rd week after chemo - normal level 4 to 7, my levels 0.7 last Tuesday, 0.85 Friday, but did a fresh test today and back up to 3. So looks like the time I feel most fit at the end of the chemo cycle, is actually the time when most vulnerable to coughs colds etc.

Anyway, did feel fit during last week, and did 3 full days at work W-F. Meanwhile Besi was fitting out our upstairs shower - they're away for a few days now, but I'm under instruction to buy the tiles before he returns. Saturday we all had a sunny day in Somerset, Chew Valley, Cheddar Gorge, Wells and scrumpy farm. Besi has just planted 3,000 vines at home, and was interested to see if the process of apples to cider would work with Albanian apples. He preached at Cairns yesterday, and then they were off to Leicester. Next Sunday 17:30 at Cairns, tea cake will be served, and Mim and Bes will talk of their plans for the year ahead. All welcome.

Note that we are not going ahead with UK wedding celebrations - seemed a bit false four months after the event - but we have 120 home-grown half-pears in the freezer which the guests were going to get with red-wine sauce - maybe we'll have some next Sunday. Our love. Dave & Elaine

Holiday blessings

We look back with thanks for a wonderful holiday in Scotland. 7 of us (incl Pete & Ruth, Mim & Bes, and Stephen & Wii) drove last Sunday to Edinburgh, one night there with Mum, (which gave me time to set her up on Skype), then on with her to Aberfeldy to my brother's luxury cottage (sleeps 10-12 - see The Ruin). We arrived Monday tea-time, and Monday night the mild weather of the previous two weeks ended with the first of many snow showers. My younger brother joined us with his son for three days, bringing sledges which were put to good use on virgin snow at 1200 feet in the lee of Schiehallion. A wonderful drive to Rannoch Station (what I call the station at the end of the universe) - blue skies, no wind, snow covered moors and mountains, deer, melt-swollen rivers, 15 miles lakeside driving.....glory.
I'd wondered if by the Friday I may be fit enough to climb a Munro - the reality that 150 vertical metres behind the cottage the limit of my energies at very slow pace, but still glorious to have climbed up to the snowline viewing deer driven down to the same line by the snow.
Healthwise I'm aware that the tiredness is now affecting me well into week 2 of each cycle - this time there will be a week 3, since next chemo Monday week. But great that this week 3 will include quality time with Miriam and Besmir.
Really encouraged by various comments on this site, from friends old and new. I know some of you have tried to comment but failed - see right hand menu for a tip about this.