End of the year

Well all I can say is, it’s been an eventful year, to say the least.

2019 kicked off with my first trip to see the renal physicians after finding out all was not well in my kidneys and blood. This initial visit in January started the ball rolling with so many hospital tests it’s hard to remember them all, suffice to say that I am so glad we have a National Health Service and I cannot begin to imagine how much my investigations cost! I cannot praise the service highly enough, all those who contributed to my diagnosis and care this year, it’s truly staggering and we should never underestimate the roles of all these health care workers because when they are needed they really step up to the mark.

I have seen both the Haematologists and the Renal physicians this December. The Haematologists were pleased with the result of the chemotherapy despite me having not tolerated it as well as some but we’re all different so it can’t be the same for everyone. Now I’m out the other side and still have some issues with peripheral neuropathy and problems with my eyes but I don’t have the problem with the para proteins any longer so that’s a good thing. The Renal physicians said it’s now a case of kidney preservation and let’s hope my kidney function doesn’t deteriorate any further and can now recover a bit since the amyloid which was affecting them is no longer being produced. Long may this remission last.

Now here we are at the close of the year, one I will remember for different reasons.

It proved to me that you can try and live a reasonably fit and healthy life and then suddenly, despite your efforts, something can come and knock you down when you least expect it. Call it fate, bad luck or whatever you like, it’s really grounding and made me appreciate what is truly important, namely my health but also family and friends.

It also proved that family and friends are so important. You all came out of the woodwork this year to offer support. There were lunches and dinners out, visits to the pub, quiet cups of tea in my garden room, you cried with me, laughed with me- a lot, you phoned, asked me for coffee/lunch, sent personal messages on Facebook, by email and Instagram and the cards arrived by the bucket load, some from folk I haven’t heard from in years who had read my blog or who heard from someone that I wasn’t well. Thank you all so much, you genuinely have no idea how much these meant to me and I was amazed by your generosity, I will not forget, I was truly overwhelmed by your sentiments and friendship.

So it only remains for me to wish you all a very healthy and Happy New Year. I hope it is a good one for everyone and you get to share it with your nearest and dearest.

Thanks for reading.

Anne xx