Blood test

[Poppy6060]

Hi everyone hope you all keeping well in theses unreal times a quick question has anyone not gone for there blood test due to this virus now all blood test centres closed ihave to go to the hospital next week for my blood test and been told the nurses don’t wear masks I am really worried but been told I won’t get my peginterferon injection if I don’t go I have enough for another month thinking of asking to wait another month the NHS are doing such a great job in such hard times Poppy

[Loubprv Volunteer]

Hi Poppy,

Of course you must go for your blood test! I shall be going for my appointment at the Christie in a couple of weeks.

When you get there if no one has a mask on, then I suggest that you kick up a bit of a fuss, take a photo on your phone, and demand that whoever is seeing you wears a mask.

You could of course wear a mask yourself as well? The Christie are asking everyone to keep their appointments by the way, but only to go along with one member of their family if they must have someone accompanying them.

This may change, but we must bear in mind that we do have another serious health is sure that needs to be checked. It ll all be fine, don’t worry. Worry and stress are the last thing you or any of us need at this time.

Take care

LouiseXx

[Loubprv Volunteer in reply to Loubprv]

Sorry, health issue that should have read.

[Poppy6060 in reply to Loubprv]

Thank you Loubprv for your kind words at times all this can over whelm you the nurse said they can’t get face masks how bad for them they are at risk also I shall being wearing one you are always helpful Poppy x x

[Loubprv Volunteer in reply to Poppy6060]

Hi Poppy, what a buggers muddle it all is! We’ve just bought a gorgeous lodge on a holiday park on Anglesey, next to the beach, and thanks to the

filthy habits of Chinese wet markets we can’t use it for the foreseeable future! I’m hopping. They’ll all be flocking to the Lakes next year on their hols. Huh. I have a feeling they’ll be getting a very chilly cold shoulder.

However, this will soon pass and I quote my cousin who lives in Australia and is a director of AstraZeneca ( drug company )

“ how and why governments in the world are so unprepared for a pandemic is a mystery to most of us. It’s not as if Covid virus is new.

In fact as a virus it’s not particularly robust, but it does hit the elderly or those with health compromised profiles with devasting effect.

HOWEVER Cuz ( he writes) do NOT be afraid of this. The likelihood of you actually catching it or of it killing you off is very remote if you stay inside and take care. Most drugs taken for an MPN don’t compromise your immunity to any great extent, with exception of a new drug called RUXOLITINIB which is slightly more searching if you like.

Common flu is far more dangerous in terms of mortality and there were over 4000 deaths due to flu in Oz last year, and more than that of course world wide.”

So, don’t worry Poppy. All will be well. Take care.

Louise

x

[Poppy6060 in reply to Loubprv]

Thanks again for such sensible advice and I would love to come to the lakes next year it will be something to look forward to and boy do we all need that take care and enjoy this lovely sunny day Poppy xx

[Tico in reply to Loubprv]

This is not a time for the blame game and I find it offensive your comments that "they will be getting the cold shoulder when they visit the lakes next year" referring to chinese people. This attitude causes the type of problems we've seen so far with innocent people being attacked and abused, I'm sorry louise not all chinese people are to blame. The time now is to pull together and look forward to the time when we come out of this and life returns to normal. Wishing you and all my fellow Mpn'ers all the best and stay safe all.xx.🤗

[Cassie11 in reply to Loubprv]

I thought covid 19 was a new virus?

[Superwoman]

Hi Poppy6060 I have Hospital tomorrow, had a call at lunch time today to say that I will have to attend the Haematology dept for bloods to be done then leg it out of the unit which has been secured, then a telephone conversation and follow up letter, have been told to use the buzzer to enter, luckily for me the unit I attend is a proper cancer unit with the Haematology dept within, this has been secured as people were using it as a short cut to other parts of the hospital and even to get to the bus stops right over the other side rather than going around, which is very wrong, one time I followed a group of schoolboys, thinking that they might be going to A and E, but no they went into Sainsbury’s think this is why it’s all been locked down too many people using as a short cut, and not caring that most of the people within this unit are venerable and have no immune system or its compromised.

So just hoping that the nurses will have some kind of protection not only for themselves but me too and all the other patients.

Jean

[Poppy6060 in reply to Superwoman]

Hi thank you for replying that’s good you can get in and out quickly and appointment times make sense I do also have a time to go I am feeling better now about going hope it all goes well for you it’s such a strange and unsure time at moment best wishes Poppy

[Superwoman in reply to Poppy6060]

Hi Poppy,

Was in and out really quickly, just got back in doors when my Haematologist called, to say that my white blood platelets had increased, he asked had I been taking my Hydroxycarbamide, which I said yes I never miss a day, so then he asked if I had been unwell lately, which I told him that I was just getting over a really nasty cold, well I think it was a cold, 🥴 plus very sore eyes, for the last four weeks, also had a temperature, so he seemed to think that was what had made my platelets rise. He has said continue with my dose as prescribed and will see me in three month time rather than my usual four.

I am waiting on a call from Chemo nurse to see if she can go through all the results rather than waiting for the letter to come and me stewing over it all.

It was so surreal in this part of the hospital, is was so quite, no people walking through either as it was all sealed off from everyone else, plus they were going around wiping everything from handles, seats anything they could wipe they did, very good indeed.

Keep safe

Jean

[Poppy6060 in reply to Superwoman]

Hi thank you for replying back it was good you had the blood test now the hospital can keep an eye on your white blood cells I also had a cold three weeks ago and it’s reassuring that they were cleaning every were I hope my hospital in Essex does the same it’s was kind of you to let me know I can sleep ease tonight I must admit it’s been on my mind hope you can get some answers tomorrow take care best wishes Poppy

[Jenny_F in reply to Poppy6060]

I am not sure what I am going to do about blood tests as I cant currently get to Guys safely. I wonder if we can get local tests at the gp that can be forwarded to our hospitals?

[piggie50 in reply to Jenny_F]

Hi Jenny_F

I have monthly blood tests and have been having them done at the GP’s since I went onto telephone consults in June last year. The last 2 have been done by the district nurse at home so I don’t need to go to the GP. Everything is posted online now, I have Patient Access online with my surgery and I can view my results the following day. Very useful as I get chance to see them before the consultant rings me and know what I want to ask him.

Judy x

[Jenny_F in reply to piggie50]

Thanks Piggie. They havent offered me home visits as yet but I have an appointment in the surgery next week so will ask about blood tests

[JT_Marlin]

Ive gone in for several blood tests since this all started as Im also getting monthly phlebotomies. I wear an N95 mask and use copious amounts of hand sanitizer.