Not much to report today, I think it’s day 5 of isolation although with modern communications and a fairly constant stream of friendly Russian nurses and doctors, it’s not isolation in any true sense. I actually had the energy today to clean my earrings with the vodka wash, and put them, my watch and contact lenses on – what small victories I celebrate !

My blood works are doing what’s expected i.e. I’m very immune-compromised, platelets are low ( heavy period which is common from chemo), as expected. My hair is just beginning to fall out, which is the right timing and shows that the stem cells are beginning to take action. The numbers below will only mean something to Julie, I suspect, and other medical people.

The slight cough has completely gone, and I’m on heavy antibiotics and antifungals to compensate for the lack of immune system. Dr Federenko has said for the first time that I should be out of strict isolation in two days approx. I’ll still be exceedingly careful, wearing a mask, hospital confined etc., and undergoing various treatments here, but moving onto the next stage.

On another note completely, RIP Muppet. Poor old cat, he’d been deteriorating even before I left and even with leaving him on medication, he wasn’t eating. With various systems failing and the vet unable to give him any quality of life, we took the decision today to say goodbye.

Very hard on Andy, he only had a couple of days at home before leaving tonight to come to Moscow, and having to have the old boy put to sleep was not great timing.

However, we could not countenance the old one suffering for another week or so just so I could say goodbye in person.

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