Two steps forward and one step back

That's me back from another two night visit with my favourite nurses in hospital. It's pretty funny how a day pans out.
I got up early (for me!) on Thursday morning as I had the 0810 appointment with the cardiologist for my pre-transplant test. I'd bought a gift and a thank-you card for the nursing staff who took care of me during the DHAP chemo and thought I would pop it in whilst I was there. So I get to the hospital at 0800 and hand in the pressie and pretty much left it at "I hope to never see any of you again in a professional capacity!" They wished me all the best, made me promise to let them know how the transplant went and off I went for the heart test. That was just an ultrasound and my heart is "strong as an ox".
I get home and have a nap but notice I've got a low level headache on the go. I rest up for most of the day, have a bath and then around 1800 I feel pretty warm and the headache is still there. Then the fatal words from Veronica... "I think you should maybe take your temperature". I do and it is at 38.5C (101.3F).
Poo. Anything over 38C (100.4F) has to be phoned in. I phone in and am ordered back to the hospital and back to my favourite ward. The irony of it all was not lost on either myself or the nursing staff. We had a laugh about it anyway.
Long story short. Antibiotics administered straight away, chest x-ray, every test know to man and blood cultures taken. These showed (after 30hours growth) that I had another bloody line infection so now we're trying to save the Hickman line for transplant. However, if there is any hint of any infection before transplant, it is being whipped out and a new one placed in the other side of my chest.
My haemoglobin was low again so I had another 2 units of blood and I was 0.5 on the neurophiles scale... not quite neutropenic but showed that I was at the lowest point (blood-wise) of my chemo cycle and explained why I was getting tired again.
Only one "exciting" thing happened during my stay this time but it was enough to keep me awake panicking all night. I was examined by a junior doctor and then again by the SHO (senior house officer). Remember these dudes are not haematologists or oncologists. They are "catch all doctors" pretty much still learning their trade. I asked the SHO what he thought was going on and he said, without any hesitation, "I think your bone marrow is failing" and walked out the room.
Talk about tactless!! I couldn't speak to my onc until the next day and he said that that was "a load of crap" but the damage had been done... a nights sleep had been lost and I was worried sick!

So it's another week of hospital visits ahead for antibiotics and if I couple that up with a lung test, CT scan and a visit to Glasgow to the transplant department it means neither Veronica or I are in for much of a rest.

We really need to catch a break.

As a side note... A big big thank-you to the anonymous poster for their comments to my last post. It's really helped me alot and I really appreciate it. Thank-you.
Kelly, thanks for the positives. I think they reached me in Scotland at 0500 when I finally calmed down and fell asleep!
Cath, I'm certainly not inspiring! A pain in the arse, maybe, but no inspiration. Ask the missus!! I really appreciate the help and support you have given to us through baby-sitting etc... you too May. Thank-you and when are you coming to take that cushion away?

I also got my root beer! Found an online supplier in the UK and got a crate delivered next day along with a crate of proper cream soda. I'm going to be burping all week.