Back teaching!

Kali's birthday! 8 today!

Last night I taught my first class official. I have taught a couple of one off classes but this is me back to the regular timetable. I feel energised partly due to having two medicines taken off my intake. I have been on the mountain bike and have been more active. I still get tired but I'm doing more. The only way is up!

This weekend I head off to Northampton to attend a seminar with Ajarn Chai. The US based Thai Boxing coach is an annual event and I learn so much. It amazes me that its not better attended and I see people with his badge on their tee shirts but I never see them attend. Isn't that silly!

Teaching at XTS

Sams birthday

Sam blows the nine candles out!

I took off to Edinburgh on Wednesday at midday in order to take my time. I hadn't driven that far since the operation, but it wasn't a problem and I got there just as England kicked off in the deciding Group game in the World Cup. It was also Sams birthday, he was nine and so after the match we all headed to a pizza place for his Birthday Tea!

Abbie & Steph

I arrived early at clinic and was seen first. Two my drugs were ended. Everything else they were happy about, with the kidneys function improving but the potassium is still high. Then I was told I didn't need to return for a month, which pleased me no end!

I then had a meeting with Professor Forbes about a potential participation in a trial, but he was concerned that, with my activity in contact sports, it was not suitable for me. He did imply that there were other trials that might be of interest and that I was an ideal candidate.

I made it home ok but was very tired later on, even falling asleep in the bath . In the morning I awoke feeling sick and spent a good part of the day in bed, perking up in the evening.

That must have been good medicine as today I went on a bike (Triumph) ride. Just an hour on some of the back roads, not too fast and getting used to the movement and feel again. I had a grin on my face when i got home. My old leathers fell off me when I tried them on first thing so they'll go on Ebay and I went and got a new set from Bert at Ecosse Honda, a set from BKS.

Last Man Standing

Respects paid before war commences

Im getting things in order before heading down to Edinburgh, a day ahead of Thursdays clinic. I have Sam's ninth birthday tea to attend and if i can set off early enough I can hopefully watch the football with England needing to win to stay in the world cup. I'm driving and am allowing time to take a break so I don't tire myself out.

It's been a busy time over the weekend and it took a few days to recover. We had the fights in Aberdeen and both fighters did really well. Allan won, stopping his more experienced opponent with a cut. Chris had to fight three fights and the second one was a bit of a war. He was still going strong in the third round of the final when his opponent could not continue because of a cut eye. His fitness was far superior to that of his opponents and he really was the Last Man Standing!

I was cornering along with the team of Leigh, Peter, Scott, Chris and Ray and we had a good day at the office. It takes it out of you and because you dont get to fight, you dont get to burn off the stress thats built up.Reward for all that hard work!

So a couple of days of relaxing in very nice weather, where the greenhouse has gone up, the dog panting away trying to find shade and the world cup entertaining us in the dramatic end of the group stages. Feeling good!

Things to do so I'm off! ciao

Friday 18th

They have dropped my Tacrolimus as the blood results were better from Monday. I'm now down to 0.5mg at night, still on the 1.0mg in the morning. It's not been a great week, but I feel I'm over the worst of it. Next week at clinic I hope that most of my meds will be ended!

I have received many mails of support and it amazes me to discover how others see me. Gary wrote an email, which I'll pass on:

Hello my old friend I'm in shock to find out about ur condition and in awe about the way u have handled it. I was 13yrs old and a white belt when I first met u. You was a brown belt if memory serves me correct at Jav's WU SHU KWAN class at Gilcomstone school away back in the early 80's. In them days there was not much martial arts clubs to pick from apart from Karate,Judo,Lau Gar and Wu Shu.Thanks to u thats all changed now. I guess thats why Im writting this now as not only through martial arts but even working as a door steward u was a great inspiration to me and to alot of others aswell. I wish u and ur family the very best of wishes and Im privaleged to say thats my old friend PAT A TRUE WARRIOR.

The fights are on tomorrow. I'll be involved for as much of it as I can, but I have good people around who can help with the cornering as well. Chris has an 8 man comp, so he needs to win 3 different fights with a possible 11 x 2 minute rounds. He needs to reserve his energy, targetting point scoring techniques to get to the final with energy left. Allan needs to be calmer, be more efficient and try less to 'knock out' as he's sacrificing speed. They will both do well. Marks opponent pulled out so at the moment it doesnt look like there is an opponent, but that might change later today.

The ups and downs

Fighters training session

Sitting in front of Dr Marianne Nicholson, a consultant in clinical oncology with NHS Grampian, was a wonderful experience. She was ecstatic and was grinning from ear to ear. In her job, she rarely has success stories. Mostly she prolongs life by a few short months, but here she was in front of a patient who had told her he would survive and he'd done it. This is exactly what she lived for in her professional capacity. As she shook my hand goodbye, because it is very unlikely that we will meet in clinic again, I left her walking on the clouds.

That was Monday lunchtime. Earlier at 8.45am i had been in to my local GP for blood tests. I then went home for a sleep before heading to the Oncology appointment in Aberdeen. I have to sleep most mornings, a clear reaction to the potassium levels. My blood pressure on Monday morning was 170 over 110! Whoops!

My weeks medication

I did have a busy weekend. Bob Spour had arrived on Saturday am and we went to the gym where he taught a 3 hour workshop in Muay Thai Boxing and Krabi Krabong. Heading back we ate whilst watching England's opening World Cup game. I feel Capello got things wrong selection wise and the 1-1 flattered the USA but the world cup has been great for my recuperation as it has sent me to sleep many a time!

Sunday we were up early and up to Aberdeen for a fighters session followed by a Self Protection workshop. Bob went south and we went home. Football on and sleep commences!

Kali was meant to be in today for surgery but got a last minute reprieve when a more experienced vet considered that one 'growth' was a cyst and the other a fatty lump. We are to watch them closely though. It was noticeable that Kali was relieved!

Caz and Kali at the vets this morning.

King of the Castle

Dalhousie Castle

Caz and I set off to Edinburgh on Wednesday, taking advantage of a deal and staying at the plush Dalhousie Castle. We had Kali with us and the place wasn't busy, so the cheap deal had us in the Lodge, separate from the main castle. As it wasn't busy they had moved us into one of their themed rooms (four poster bed - the lot), but as we had the dog, we got a basement room instead. We took advantage of the spa for 50 minutes, which degenerated into a water fight between Caz and myself! We still nipped round to see Rob, Steph, Abbie and Sam though!

Dr Andrew Bathgate saw me in Clinic and has just phoned me on my return. There is still concern about my potassium levels which are high at 7.9 and the creatinine levels are still at 200! They have told me to reduce the Tacrolimus and increase the MMF to try and solve the issue. The kidney issue is caused by the Tacrolimus. My hand has tremors and right now i am very salty in the mouth. It leaves me feeling that I have no energy and giddy at times. There will be several blood tests next week to measure the progress.

On my next visit, which should see the medication greatly reduced, I will meet Professor Forbes and discuss my involvement in a trial. Once i have digested the information I'll discuss it in a later post. I also had an ultrasound scan which seemed to go well.

It was a good clinic and I bumped into James who had been in for the weeks assessment with me. He's 4.5 weeks post transplant and looking very well. It was great to see him in this state as when i was in with him, he was struggling with it all.

I asked about the size of the tumor at the time of the removal of the liver. I was told that there were in fact THREE tumors which if that had been known would have discounted me from Transplant immediately. The sizes of theses tumors were 3.7cm, 20mm and 5mm. There was no intrusion into arteries or veins, meaning that there is virtually no fear that the cancer spread.

Monday I went up and took the Filipino Martial Arts class. I really enjoyed it but Tuesday i was tired. I made it back to the gym to work on the roller door that has broken but was exhausted at night.

World cup starts tomorrow. I'll enjoy that. I'll support England but the African teams will no doubt excite. Argentina should be great to watch depending on the Maradonna factor - genius or madman - but the favourite, Spain, I don't think will win it. Watch out for the dark horses Holland and Brazil. It is going to be a good one I think!

Mother Theresa once said: "Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person."

Kali the Deer hunter

This is our evening habit. We walk down to the Dee and we 'hunt' the deer. It can involve just staying still for 10 minutes, something that wasn't natural to her at first. However she has learnt to stay quiet and be patient and the deer will move. As you can see, she's ready to go at the slightest movement. She's not fast enough for the deer so they are safe.

In the second video, she's trying to find her bone. She hid it somewhere but can't remember where.

Postcards fae Aboyne

The old Deeside Railway route.

sunday get together

morning breakfast

Caz invited a group out from AMAG to celebrate my birthday. A nice surprise and it was a lovely day where people relaxed and simply enjoyed each others company. We had gone to a local restaurant on the Saturday night in Aboyne and had a lovely meal. Unfortunately the weather wasn't the best on Sunday but being stuck inside with this bunch wasnt so hard!

I'm currently around 74.8kg, probably the lightest I have been since the age of three. I've had a 24 hour stomach bug (lets hope it's just 24 hours) so I'm probably lighter today. Still, its been a great week weather wise.