Well thatcwas some holiday. First day, 10.30am 50yds from the hotel, I tripped and broke my hip! Spent 4 days in a Spanish hospital and came out with a complete replacement. Have a good rest, they said. It’ll be amazing, they said. Great experience, they said, well it was that all right. Back home, had the staples out on Thursday, 2 weeks after the op. Can manage stairs properly and have been for walks up and down our road. Jyst thought I’d update. Had to stop the chemo, but I had bloods taken on Monday at my gp and haematology told me to restart. I see the consultant on Wednesday see what she says.
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Oh my hoodless! Not a good start to your holiday! Must have been pretty scary. It sounds like you were looked after really well. I hope you are taking things slow but so glad you are feeling lots better x
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@LynnB what an unfortunate start to your holiday. I hope you are not too traumatized by it all. One way to get a new hip without the long NHS waiting list 
. Seriously though, I hope you did manage to enjoy some of your holiday, and that you’re recovering nicely. Fingers crossed for you that you don’t suffer any side effects of the hydroxycarbamide now you have restarted it.
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Oh @LynnB what a holiday and what an op, gosh, I do not know what to say.
I would have found it more scary being away from home but it sounds as if you were very well cared for.
It also sounds as if you are working hard at your recovery too.
Please do let us know what your consultant says on Wednesday,
Be very kind to yourself
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@Erica it was an experience all right, the main problem was the language barrier. Both my husband and I had great problems. The couldn’t tell me what was happening and that was the main problem. The consultant/surgeon had very good English, and was rather nice, which helped an old lady 
he was very helpful to my husband as well making him take photos of of all the forms and x-rays etc for the insurance company. The insurance comapnay were great as well and sent out a medic to accompany me on the way home. Some people get a private air ambulance, I got Ryanair! But they were good. Just the long road to recovery now, it’s one day great and the next not so. I am in a lot of pain today, yesterday I was fine, so I do stuff one day and the next day I rest. Be interesting on Wednesday when I see the haematologist. I will update. x
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@Erica I forgot to say, I am off the aprin and am giving myself Heperin injections. My tummy looks like a dalmation dog! They nip as well!
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Oh @LynnB I am glad that you have not lost your brilliant sense of humour.
I am very impressed with your Spanish medical help, but not being able to speak Spanish or they English must have been very scary.
You also illustrate so well the importance of getting good medical insurance cover, especially for the unforeseen occurrences.
I am glad Ryanair were very good too.
It is certainly not just blood cancer where you have good and bad days, sometimes pain and and resemble a Dalmatian dog.
Yes, I expect you will really brighten up your haematologists and GP’s days. xxxx
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@Erica the operation was done on the Spanish NHS with my EHIC card, it was the first thing they asked for, luckily I had it in my purse. The police came to the incident as well and needed all my detials, I didn’t have my passport on me, that was in the safe, but I always carry my driving licence as identification. The food was distugsting, I didn’t eat the 4 days I was in there, first time I’ve come home from holiday losing weight! But i wouldn’t recommend it as a diet
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Oh @LynnB thank goodness your operation was done on the Spanish NHS and your EHIC card, I feared the system might have changed with Brexit. Sorry about the food.
Take it steady xx
Hello @Jilly20 . Just an update for you. I had my appointment at Southampton hospital yesterday and saw the consultant haematologist and a CNS. The consultant acknowledged all my symptoms as being caused by the Essential thrombocythemia (ET) and she will see me every six months from now on. For the first time in two years I have now seen a haematologist that knows about Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)’S and Essential thrombocythemia (ET). A good result. The down side was the fatigue after such a long day with the travelling. I was exhausted when I got home, but it was worth it. Also my platelets have gone up another 55. Quite a big jump this time.
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Hi @Chris1 all in all a good result as you say.
However I really agree with you all medical appointments completely wear me out and fatigue me emotionally, medically, physically and practically.
You now have a CNS contact point if you need it in between appointments.
Be ever so kind to and look after yourself and please do keep posting how you are doing.
Thank you @Erica . It was certainly a long day and like you say draining in so many ways. I’m still feeling exhausted even though I have rested today. It was such a good consultation though, so I am glad that I had the referral.
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Excellent Chris I am so glad it went well such a good team at SGH you probably saw my consultant 
Yes long day for you, I know it’s quite a trip from the island to get over to us - hopefully in future the stressful element will be lessened to help a bit on the tiredness of appointments - but as you say to be under a team experienced in MPNs makes all the difference doesn’t it, you are in good hands now. Hope you made use of the nice coffee shops to assist the visit too 
I am just popping up there now for my blood tests so will do the same 
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Finished my Heparin injections thank good, now I need to start the aspirin again, thought I’d give myself a couple of days though. The bruising on my tummy is something else though, some of them are over 2" long and really black, pleased I’m not going to be wearing a bikini anytime soon 
hope everyone here is as well as they can be. x
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Hi @Jilly20 . Yes we went to the restaurant for a midday meal, but the fire alarm kept going off. They didn’t evacuate us, so I guess it was a faulty one. An eventful day indeed. Hope your blood test was ok. Best wishes from Chris.
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@Erica I was at the the hospital on Wednesday and they are very pleased - my levels are down to 385 - I won’t be seeing the consultant for a year but I will be going to a clinic with a specialist nurse every 3 months. They were quite high last month, but they were expecting that after my broken hip fiasco! Hope everyone is ok as they can be here. Hugs
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Hi @LynnB great that the hospital were pleased with you on Wednesday.
I think that a celebration is in order.
How are you and how is your broken hip now?
Look after yourself and please do keep posting
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Hi @Erica hip is doing great, 7 weeks now since the op, everyone says they are surprised it’s only been 7 weeks the way I am walking. Can’t do long walks yet, get tired very quickly. We were away in Whitby last weekend with family and we took a wheelchair, that was great son and grandsons pushed me around the city.
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Oh @LynnB perhaps it is not just your hip that is doing great, perhaps it is you too.
I am also impressed that you know your current limitations and are willing to accept help.
Whitby sounds lovely.
Slow and steady wins the book in my mind.
Please do let us know how you are doing
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@Erica - thank you - will do. Take care x
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