This week saw a visit to Prince Charles Hospital on Monday for blood tests to check on reaction to the new trial drug, everolimus. The result was that I had to reduce the dosage to 1 mg morning and night having started at 1.5 mg. On the way home I visited Tim Davis at Marsh Tincknell (former business colleagues) and what I thought would be a ten minute visit turned into an hour. It was great to catch up. We're looking at the possibility of doing some work together (part time of course).
Also popped in to see Terry Howard at Instant Tax Refunds in Beenleigh. He didn't have too much time as this is the busiest time of the year. Anyway, it was good to get out and talk to people again. The weather was wonderful and I drove home with the roof down, feeling great.
Thursday had my usual weekly check-up at Prince Charles and all results were good. Reducing my Cyclosporin (anti-rejection drug) from 250 mg twice daily to 225 mg. Back again this Thursday and then hopefully down to fortnightly visits. What I do enjoy on these visits is meeting other transplant recipients and comparing notes. Gets a bit like the "old wives club"
Janyne and I continue to ponder the future and have been looking at Caravans thinking travel might be a good idea. We saw some great 'vans but I think we've both come to the conclusion that it was great 20 plus years ago but maybe not for us now. By the time we purchase a van and towing vehicle we're up for $100,000 plus. OK, we'd sell the Porsche to pay for it but with depreciation, fuel costs etc, we'd do just as well staying in motels. I guess we're not in love with the caravanning life enough to make such a big change to our lives. Still thinking of selling the Porsche though, so anyone wanting (or who knows someone who might be) a 2004 Boxter S tiptonic in mint condition, give me a call.
Haven't had too many visitors lately as many friends as well as Paul and Jacqui have colds, something I must avoid. However we continue to communicate by phone and email.
It was good to hear from Donna Burnett (Great Southern Plantations Limited) this week as well as Phil Griffiths, a fellow transplantee who hasn't been too well lately. He had the cheek to suggest we get one of those mechanical dogs so that we wouldn't be tied down. Not quite the same Phil!!!!
Always look forward to any comments or response.
Until next week, take care.
Ben
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Hi Ben and Janyne,
I've just been catching up with your blogspot, something I have sadly neglected having been very busy and also being in the process of changing to Broadband.
Of course, the broadband thing will have to wait a little longer, as the CD accompanying the modem was shattered in the post and it seems almost impossible to have them send me a new one.
Anyway, I am very happy to read your optimistic messages. I almost said "hear" as I can actually hear your joy for life. I still want to visit and have had to postpone this until 18 September or thereabouts. I will book today (it depended on family things and finalisation of George's will, etc.) and will travel to Sydney first and then on to Queensland to see you both as well as Theresa. I will let you know as soon as I can what the situation will be. At this stage Rob wants to travel with me to Q'ld but I don't know when exactly that will be. Anyway, we will be in touch.
Keep up the good work. You are an inspiration to me, especially when I read that you are now 76 kg - the same as me!!! I must work on that as my cholesterol and sugar level are way too high - legacy of the kidney dysfunction in 1997 - and I have to try to reduce them, something that I find difficult to do with my sweet tooth.
I have been doing a lot of baby-sitting for Janine lately. Janine is with the Mathematics Institute at University of Melbourne and spends a lot of time traveling around Australia to implement a study on the teaching of maths in both high and primary schools. She has taken part in publishing a text book on this and is really quite clever at her job. The off-shoot, of course, is that she then needs a lot of support with the children. I don't always mind but it can get tiring even though the kids are now 15, 11 and 5. I have had Joseph since Friday and Lachlan and Hannah have been here since Sunday. They go home again tomorrow so then I can catch up at home again.
As you can imagine, there is plenty to do at home as I have had to let things go while George was in the nursing home. I now need to make a list of things to do and quietly get through the list. I am hoping to have a go at painting the interior of the house after my holiday. If I can't manage that any longer then I can always get a painter/decorator in to finish the job. It will be good therapy for me. The cello is still going fine, having bought some super-dooper new strings for it which make it sound just so much richer. Mind you, I will never make Carnegie Hall, but it is fun trying to learn.
Would love to put in a bid for the Porsche, but I fear that it may clean me out financially. Imagine the look on the children's faces if I turned up in it. Specially after Robert, my "darling" step-son, tried to put the bite on me for a GIFT of $50,000. Of course, he was not successful as I don't think it would have been fair to give it to him and not the others and I don't have $250,000 to spare as well as give myself a pension as I am doing now.
Well it is time to go and catch up on some housework. I hope you both have a wonderful day and look forward to seeing you both sometime toward the middle to end of September.
Love
Marian
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