Top ten of 2012

Last year about the same time I did a top ten of my favourite posts of 2011.  This year I thought I'd do the same.  There is no real criteria for why or which ones.  Some I just liked the way it sounded, it was important to me or just really popular.  I posted to shakes and stones 194 times in 2012 and this was a great way to review all of them.

10. Webster Pack

I don't know why but this post was the most looked at post of 2012.  Why?  I don't know, but with over 840 views there must be something about it.

9. Hats off to you Cory Smallegan

Great singer and a great bloke.  Although we did not spend that much time in each others company, having our transplants on the same day, I feel, gave us a bond that was extremely unique.

8. Prophecy Coming True?

Personal vindication that I am not full of ****.  I feel that through shared knowledge and research we will make huge steps forward in the next few years when it comes to medicine.  This is just the tipof the iceberg.


7. It Makes My Blood Boil

The treatment of patients is very important to me.  If people need treatment they should get it.  This is not the dark ages and we are not barbarians.  Although sometimes the people we choose to be the guardians of our health make me question that.


6. Day +7

A really embarrassing day for me.  And I'm glad I could overcome my embarrassment to show you again.  I think this is the one post that really gives you a good insight in to how hard it can be when right in the middle of it.

5. Choices

Again this one effected me.  As if it isn't hard enough being sick, not having the support of your family would make it even harder.  Realistically if your nearest and dearest are going to have a strong opinion on a patients choices they should take the time to get informed.


4. A Surprising Consultation

This one actually makes me feel guilty.  At the time I felt my neurologist was completely against the idea of HSCT.  This wasn't really the truth.  I was just charging at it at 100 MPH and she was really watching out for the oncoming traffic.  In my own defence I was probably way to emotionally involved to give an unbiased view of the situation.  Right now she is really supportive of my decision and what I have done.

3. Do No Harm?

This is just such a confusing issue and at the time I wrote it also an emotional one.  But I believe that the road ahead is sometimes dangerous and we can't always make the right decisions.  As long as the intentions in the long term is for the individuals benefit then it should go forward.


2. Transplant Day

What can I say.  It was the biggest day of 2012 for me and Bob said it best.


1. My HSCT Story

No surprises here.  After all the hard work pain and suffering, finally there was proof that what I had done worked!

Let me know what you think.  If you agree or not.....  Until next time, stay well:)

2012 -The Year Ahead

Well if you believe the Mayan calendar, 2012 will be the end of the world!  Fortunately for me, I don't believe that.  If I did, I certainly wouldn't be spending my final year of life recovering from an arduous and grueling stem cell transplant.  And it is an overview of my 2012 that I plan on sharing with you today.

Well one thing is for certain, it is going to be an interesting and busy year.  I am under no illusions, it is going to be tough.  Really tough.  But even with the nausea, vomiting, lethargy, hair loss, generally feeling like crap and all the other delightful side effects that come with chemotherapy and being neutropenic, I will have to consider it a wonderful year if the treatment works.

Mapping out the year for me is probably best if I go backwards.  In October I have a goal.  I need to be fit and healthy.  At least well enough to travel across the world in an airplane.  What is my goal I hear you ask?  Well, if there was a sure fire sign that the world was coming to an end (which it isn't) it is that my brother is getting married!

After nearly 40 years of bachelorhood he is going to tie the knot with his significant other in the UK in October.  I'm excited!  And what makes it even more exciting is I'm yet to meet the lucky lady and their brand new son.  I've always said that even though hospitals and medicine are a big part of my life I believe that that is not a reason for living.  We live for the good things in life and October for me will be massive.  As well as the wedding my wife and I are planning to take the kids around the world so it should be an amazing trip.

In all honesty it is really good timing.  I will have had enough time to recover and prepare for the trip and during my stem cell transplant I will have something to look forward to as well as the obvious like seeing the kids after three months, or being able to sleep pain free or even being able to go for a run. (Now, now Andy.  Keep it real.  Don't get ahead of yourself.)

I think that brings us to the stem cell transplant.  I will cover this in more detail later and then in insanely more details as I embark upon the journey.  Suffice to say that it will be hard and intense.  Whoever said it was about the journey not the destination never had a stem cell transplant.  I'd love to be able to skip the next four months and wake up just in time for the good part.  The healing.  Sadly, that won't be the case, but whilst I'm in Chicago I do plan have at least a tiny bit of fun.  It would be a shame to travel all that way to a place I've never been before and not spend at least one day seeing everything.  I think it will also be important to give myself something right in the moment to look forward to.  Sure, the long term gains are undeniable.  But it is also nice to have short term goals to help with the here and now.

I think one of the things that is really important for me to share with you all is that although I am 99% certain to go to Chicago, there is still no absolute certainty I will make it into the trial, and I might be headed back to Australia with my tail between my legs.  But I can't think like that.  I need to stay positive and assume I will make it into the trial.  If I don't I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

On other notes, my health is much bigger than just one treatment.  The year has got off to a flying start with already one IVIG treatment and a kidney x-ray which came back clear of all stones!  That is now six months.  Lets hope that I can keep that up all year.  I think/hope it may be a good year for the kidneys.

Well, that's a brief summary of my year ahead.  It should be an interesting one.  I'll keep you posted as I go.  Until then, stay well:)

New Years Resolution

Well tis come that time of year again when we think about what fool hardy ridiculous idea we come up with for a New Years Resolution.  And being a fool hardy brainless person I have decided to do just that. So here are my list of suggestions:-

1. Lose weight- Yeah like that's ever going to happen.  Anyone that has ever taken long term prednisolone will know what I'm talking about.
2. Exercise more- For someone who has a peripheral nerve problem, I exercise plenty thank you.  Next!
3. Stop drinking coke- No way!  You've gotta have at least one vice in your life and that is mine.  With a heavy year coming up (SCT and all) I'm going to need all my creature comforts.
4. Give up smoking- Seeing as I don't smoke this one may be a little too easy.
5. Have an AFJ (alcohol free January)-  Now that's just silly.
6. If I can't lose weight at least get in shape-  I am in shape.  Round is a shape.  If you don't believe me ask a five year old.
7. Do something dangerous-  Does SCT count as dangerous?
8. Learn a foreign language-  I hated languages at school so no.  Besides I will be in Chicago for three months so I'll probably learn to speak American while there.

But I think the winner would have to be for me to go back to school and train to become a surgeon.  I mean how hard can it be?  I've watched Grey's Anatomy.  Scrub hands, cut here, sew there, perform carnal sins in a store room and job done.  I've even picked up this required reading for Dodgy Bros Medical School:-

Ok.  If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm joking.  Seriously, I think that my new years resolution will be to make sure I drink at least three litres of water a day to help battle the old kidney stones and seeing as though I have had such amazing feed back on my blog (and I enjoy writing it) to keep posting regularly.  

Well, this will be my last post for 2011, so I hope you have a very happy new year and a healthy and rewarding 2012.  Stay well:)