Well folks another week gone by and once again had a great weekend in lovely Cardiff. I tell you once I am on that bridge I know I am home, a very nice feeling. Yes but of course that’s because there is a special boy there waiting for me 😉 Got there on Friday (in record time too for a change!) and made a nice dinner for Nathan and then just got cozy with all my boys on the sofa. What better way to spend a Friday night with the ones you love. Apart from the fact I cracked and lost part of a filling from a tooth right at the back while chomping on some cashews! What next??!! Luckily not painful at all but is someone trying to tell me something. More shit! Luckily having been to the dentist today its just going to be another big filling £££. First good news in ages!

We have started going to the gym whilst in Cardiff as well which is really what is needed after the over indulgent ever lasting Christmas feasts haha! I really miss the weekend gym sessions with Bernie. I used to do 4 sessions a weekend with PT and classes. Definately lost some definition and gonna get it back, watch this space. Back on the Pro Gains meals big time. Healthy eating is the way forward. 70% diet and 30% fitness.

Nathan had planned for us to take the boys to Barry Island or as they like to call it Barrybados 🙂 We took the train and headed there Saturday afternoon, sun was out until we got there. The boys love being on the beach and I really enjoyed it too! It started to rain but nevertheless had a great time. Even bumped into Sue and her mum and had a lovely catch up with them on the beach. The world is a small place sometimes. We had some lunch and the mandatory bottle of wine, just because it was so cold of course 😉

Walks with the boys, home cooked dinners (well mainly – maybe a little Tesco Finest lasagna snuck in there lol ) and just some quiet time together is what this weekend was all about and it was exactly the medicine I needed. Did I ever mention I have an awesome boyfriend?

Back to work Monday and the week started off with issues with a charter flight and I won’t go into details but I was not in the greatest of moods. Had to head to Stansted with Denis after work and pack duvets and bed linen in big suitcases to send to Accra with Lana. Bless her, I really was not happy about sending her on her own and I just couldn’t convince anyone otherwise. Head of department and you are not allowed to make decisions that concern your staff. Not to mention we needed more hands on deck for this type of charter. Bless Denis he saw that side of me I don’t normally show in an open office ! Woke at 545 am, got to the office for 10 after the drive from Cardiff and then we got home from Stansted at 1015 pm. Long day. Passion for the job, yes.

Got my letter from the hospital late last week and it stated I was going to see Dr Ivanov. I thought I was going to have a bone marrow biopsy. I am now wondering what is going on. How come I have not heard from the specialist in London which I was supposed to meet. Guess I need the test first? In limbo once again.

Just got back with Denis from the docs and guess what, Dr Ivanov informed me he was going to perform the biopsy himself, he said he has the reputation for being the most gentle…and that was not far from the truth. The other doctor was away until mid February so he didn’t want to delay any further. Well that suspense was over as I wondered why he wanted to see me again. He was actually surprised I hadn’t heard from the other doctor who I am going to see for the 2nd opinion, but without this test it would not have happened in any case. I really enjoy Dr Ivanov and his bedside manner. He comes from a family of Haematologists and that says everything.

Time to get down to business. What is it with all the Scottish nurses in Crawley, they are like angels, today’s was no exception. She was so full of life and people like that give you hope and faith. And she loves a photo bomb as well!

The procedure was to be as follows; local and more local to make sure I don’t feel anything. The worst was the first needle then after that it was just a strange sensation of pulling and grinding bone. Its not what you feel but what you hear. Dr Ivanov has excellent technique and is very witty at the same time. The nurse said I could sing but I am not very good at that. The whole procedure made me feel quite weak and sickly, it’s not like it’s relaxing or anything.

I explain to Dr Ivanov why Denis is taking pictures and videos in the background, much to his surprise! I say its not for litigation purposes but as I am writing a blog it’s great to document everything and its my own kind of therapy. His response was a very serious I would have had a hair cut if I had known! lol You can imagine the atmosphere as I am having a giant needle shoved in my ass and then a scalpal in the tube and he is grinding away at my hip bone! Yikes! The procedure lasted probably 10 mins total so one can’t really complain.

The nurse then says you can have a nice cup of tea when you are done and I say ‘No Thanks can’t think of anything worse!’ Denis says we are not English we don’t drink tea. I add my 2 cents worth and say I need a vodka! Dr Gleb Ivanov says yes vodka….and he starts his story of how he made Horseradish voddie at Christmas and his wife loves it too! It resembles wasabi and is as strong as that! We then move on to the topic of caviar and the proper Russian way of having it, he likes it with baguette, no crust I might add! Glasses for the vodka must come from the freezer and the vodka too! A doctor after my own heart. We like the finer things in life. He brought home 2.5 kgs from his last visit home to Belarus before the holidays. Hardcore. Are we sure we are at the doctors?

The results will take a week or so and he will also be analysing the samples himself. If you ever wanted to see what bone marrow looks like check out the header picture. Got to love medicine sometimes. So let’s wait once again and see. Prayers for a clear result are most welcome as this will determine a lot for me. Is this fucking cancer still in my body, if so I need to rid myself of it, but how we do that I am not sure of yet.

In my conversation with the doctor I mentioned Germany and he completely dissed it saying they are not doing any miracles there. I said well a lot of people come from near and far to be treated there. It’s amazing how many doctors are afraid of alternative methods of treating deadly diseases. There has got be some other option than the one I have been given, there just has to be.

Looking forward to the weekend and Nathan’s arrival. We are out to dinner in London on Saturday with Cynthia and then a lazy Sunday with roast dinner. Gym every day and normal life resumes until we know the resuts of this next piece of the puzzle. We have loads of plans and I am working on making sure we can fit everything in. In the meantime I am fit and healthy. I can’t be ill because I don’t feel ill. Until next time. Thanks for reading and I really do feel the love.

Let’s see how I feel when the local wears off….

****Update… have now got my appointment with Dr A in London at UCH on Wednesday 25th @ 4pm for my 2nd opinion****