A winter's day, in a deep and dark December

The next few weeks are about as busy as I've been in two and a half years and it's all down to the wonderful work of the Renal doctors in really pushing for me to be seen quickly by the Urology team. After having sorted out the mishap in planning that would have me in two separate clinics within the same hospital at exactly the same time, I've rearranged one that allows me to do the two in one trip.

So firstly I have the dreaded pulmonary function tests and then the Urology clinic. I really would have liked to be able to have rearranged the Urology clinic because next Thursday I have a kidney contrast CT scan that would have extra information for the Urologist to have at hand but unfortunately this wasn't possible. They will at least have the previous ultrasound and renogram of the kidneys to work from so it will still be a worthwhile trip but it would have been nice for them to have the whole story. On that point I received the contrast material (mildly radioactive isotope) through the post, which I found profoundly odd.

That weekend I have a family Christening to go to and then I have a trip to the Respiratory consultant to see if his feeling that my respiratory function will have improved from my weight gain has borne out. I will also see if he has found the muscle stimulating pads that he thought I could use to try and turn the weight I have put on in fat form into muscle because I can't do it through conventional exercise. The pain I have been experiencing in my muscles apparently isn't necessarily down to muscle atrophy but is a side effect of the Statin drug I have been put on to bring down my cholesterol (which is too high because I feed myself with liquid fat). That actually ties in quite well as the timing of the muscle pain fits with my starting the Statins.

The following weekend I have another Christening to go to. I really, desperately hope I can manage to go to the non-hospital stuff because I really need a trip out the house that doesn't involve blood removal.

So, the last six weeks have involved more progress than the previous six months, a fact I recanted to the lung transplant co-ordinator when she called for an update. They really are keen for me to progress and I have to say the phone call made me feel exceptionally upbeat about my prospects.