Last Friday I had a clinic appointment at which I signed my consent for the clinical trial. I was asked multiple questions about my medical history and I was subject to a very detailed physical examination. I discovered that some of the physical skills that were so easy once, like walking the line, were not so easy now.
Monday saw me again in Bristol for tests. The echocardiogram took just 20 minutes in which an ultrasonic device was used to scan my heart and surrounding blood vessels. Cleverly it scans through the spaces between the ribs. I then had a 2 hour wait until my lung function tests. Most of these involved sitting inside a glass box and inhaling and exhaling according to the instructions of the technician. The remaining test involved walking up and down a corridor wearing a device which measured such things as my heart rate and oxygen level both transmitted back to a handheld tablet computer so the technician could monitor my progress.
Postponed from Tuesday to yesterday, I then attended the BHOC for my bone marrow biopsy. First I had to provide blood samples. A record for me: I provided 14 phials only one of which was used to check that it was safe for me to have the BMB. The doctor was very kind and managed to apply sufficient local anaesthetic that I hardly felt anything. This was especially important as 6 aspirants were taken !
All the samples have now been sent into Europe - some to Belgium and some seemingly to Switzerland. as far as I know, I have now completed all the necessary tests needed to screen me for the trial. Let's hope !
Keep safe, keep well and KBO
Stephen
