According to the Department of Work and Pensions' preliminary estimates for 2013/14 (bear with me here), around £1.1bn was paid out to fraudulent benefits claims, representing around 0.7% of the total benefits bill. Clearly there are a lot of people persuaded towards dishonesty by the promise of 'free money' in return for false claims that might never be found … Continue reading Days +60 to +63: The benefits of remembering the tougher times
Day +50 (and +47 to +49): Treatment by numbers
1 readmission to hospital since discharge following stem cell transplant (average is apparently three in first year post-transplant) 2 times as bushy: my eyebrows seem to have thickened dramatically; fine hair has also appeared on the bottom of my nose, my ears and, to a lesser extent, the rest of my head. I'm not sure why... … Continue reading Day +50 (and +47 to +49): Treatment by numbers
Days +27 and +28: Better safe than sorry
I suppose all good things must come to an end – or at least a pause, in the case of my most recent wonderful time at home. One of the 'rules' I have to follow in order to minimise risks is to go straight to A&E when my temperature spikes over 38 degrees, which it … Continue reading Days +27 and +28: Better safe than sorry
Days +20 to +22: Going the distance
Mariacristina was off work on Monday, having traded it for working on Sunday to keep social media updated with the progress of runners in the London Marathon raising money for CAFOD, the charity where she works. They included Tom Jarvis, the youngest participant this year, who turned 18 just two days before the event. I am in … Continue reading Days +20 to +22: Going the distance
Days +17 to +19: On parole
When I reached a point in my leukaemia treatment the first time around where I was able to get out and about and look to start working again, going back to my old job at Literary Review wasn't going to work out very well, not least because my replacement was doing fabulously and resources at the magazine were limited. In addition, … Continue reading Days +17 to +19: On parole
Day +14 (and +13): Selective memory
While browsing a forum for stem cell transplant patients, I was fascinated to read about one woman who has absolutely no memory of her transplant or the days before and after the procedure. She was looking for reassurance that there was nothing untoward in her lack of memory, particularly given the detailed stories being recounted by … Continue reading Day +14 (and +13): Selective memory
Day +12: Charity case
I reluctantly decided not to go ahead with launching a #selfiewithmyplatelets campaign, partly because I'm not sure anyone in the country has any money left after donating generously to various cancer charities as a result of the #nomakeupselfie campaign on Facebook. I expect you'll have heard of it even if you've avoided the social network, … Continue reading Day +12: Charity case
Day +11: Show and tell (but mostly show)
1. I said last night we'd celebrate the last few hours of Day +10 ("engraftment day"). And we did. 2. Oh yes, my hair started falling out to a serious degree yesterday; rather than let it get patchy, we thought it time to take to the clippers. 3. Today (Day +11), Fred came up to Tooting... … Continue reading Day +11: Show and tell (but mostly show)
Time flies when you’re having… a transplant
Somehow we've reached Day -2 in my treatment plan, so my stem cell transplant is taking place very soon indeed. I've got through five days of Fludarabine without much to complain about – and was even allowed out to continue my and Mariacristina's efforts to eat as much good food as possible in the shortest … Continue reading Time flies when you’re having… a transplant
Chemo kicks off: VIDEO EXCLUSIVE
My first ever vblog! And yes, next time (if we do it again) we'll do it in Landscape rather than Portrait... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyomb9E1qNg