12th May: "Measure the medicine to man!" The Madness of King George

As I wandered around my room, the light of the dawn broke in and revealed creation in all its glory from my Penthouse Suite. Well, it revealed some London Roads and the network of air conditioning units that ensure a constant chill down the back of us nightie wearers.

Today, more vials were taken—am I the caterer for a vampire buffet?

The exciting news came, as I had a visitation from the wise men from hematology. It seems that I was now transitioning from the generalities of 'High Grade Lymphoma' to the specificity of 'Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma'. 

They made all sorts of encouraging noises, but the most encouraging of all was that Sarah would be allowed in for a Family Conference. In a school-boyish sort of way I also felt like this subversive act was sticking it to the COVID-man. Viva la Revolution!

After the matching of diaries, 4.30pm arrived, and so too did the Hematology Registrar and the Specialist Nurse. 

They came armed with colourful booklets and gentle consolation. Sarah and Ben arrived with their own notebooks, fully briefed for the defence… 

The charming Macmillan Books were given as gifts.  On skimming the booklets, the content consisted of smiling couples with the accompanying caption 'X Burkitt Lymphoma', 'Y Peripheral T-Cell', 'Z Primary mediastinal large B-Cell' , would I be 'Robert, call-me-Diffuse-Large-B-Cell' from now on? 

(Also, they all seemed to be in beautifully manicured gardens. This has to be the most intimidating portent of all, as our gardening philosophy is at the laissez-faire end of horticulture.)

Both Sarah and Ben opened their Counsel’s notebooks and began their questioning, "Ladies and gentlemen, I put it to you..." Both the Registrar and Specialist Nurse were kindness itself under this forensic cross-examination. I sat quietly, clinging onto any positive noises I heard. 

The session ended and we all (I!) seemed more much confident in the way ahead.    

At 11pm I left my Penthouse Suite and went, like Harry Potter before me, to my cupboard-under-the-stairs....