Hello everyone,

Just a quick update to let you know how I'm getting on in Germany.

It's been a very tough couple of weeks re; pain, total exhaustion and more weight loss. I had a 'port' fitted in hospital earlier in the week, ( a semi-permanent tap via a chamber and catheter into a large, deep vein in the front of my shoulder ).......and not without it's complications, but that's a long story! as my veins have had so many needles in them that they just couldn't cope any more, so this is much better for infusions and allows greater flexibility. Over the last 3 to 4 weeks I have also been having more and more problems breathing, to the point where I can hardly walk from one room to another without gasping and needing oxygen... not recommended! A chest x-Ray done when in for the Port fitting has shown my lungs to have gone opaque, indicating fluid in all the tiny alveoli within the lungs. Kiki ( Dr Kilarski ) is treating me for this with various things to get rid of excess fluid, plus steroids etc, plus a blood test had shown that my Haemoglobin had dropped to 7 and should be anything upto 20 for a man. She consequently gave me 2 units of blood yesterday and as of this afternoon I definitely have a bit more energy which is great.

Angela had to go back to the uk yesterday to get back to work but Megan came over yesterday to pick up the mantle. Ange has done a brilliant job caring for me as I really can't do much without help and like wise so is Megan. She leaves to go back to work on Friday but my sister Jane from Ireland arrives tomorrow to take her place.

I have my next PD1 infusion on Friday which is sooner than planned and at a higher dose rate as Kiki feels that progress is too slow, so we shall see... as know that it will floor me in the short term but a very important part of the treatment.

I'd better stop waffling now but suffice to say, again thank all of you so so much for all the support and wonderful,comments, I can't reiterated enough how much it all means to me.

With love and best wishes to all.

Mike