ABMU April 2009

Okay, so I guess I've been meaning to update the Boring Medical Updates for several months now, and I see that the last one was posted in September... well, a lot has changed since then, and a lot has stayed the same.

As the saying goes.

So: at the end of the last installment, I was about to go in for my first infusion of infliximab, and suffering from a sore bum and generally feeling crap. It turned out that the sore bum was nothing to do with the drugs - it was the Crohn's inflammation which had worked its way down to my anus and was spreading onto the skin around the outside. If anything, it was worse than the anal fissure because it was always there - you couldn't make it go away by sitting still.
But back to the medication: the infliximab worked. It WORKED. Shout it from the rooftops, it kicked in and made me FEEL GREAT. Not full of beans, but you know, normal. Able to consider the possibility of doing things like going skiing, going cycling, sailing, etc. Wonderful!  It was not without its downside, though - for one thing, I was still injecting myself with methotrexate, which I absolutely hated and which made me feel slightly nauseous for days afterwards. For another, there was the matter of an annoying skin sensitivity which has hung around persistently. More on that anon.

Infliximab is administered via what is known as an 'infusion'. If that puts you in mind of soothing herbal tea, possibly handed out by nurses on some sunny verandah somewhere... well, stop. Stop it right now. In actual fact, it is better known as being 'on a drip' for a couple of hours, with a needle in the back of your hand and some beeping bit of machinery gradually introducing this new toxicness into your system. Western General does have some nice leather armchairs (courtesy of the drugs company - thanks, drug company) for you to lounge in during this period, which is another reason why the stuff is way better than methotrexate. Happily, come Christmas I was able to leave the methotrexate stuff behind - no more plunging inch-long needles into my own belly, yay! Now it's just me and the infliximab...

First, the benefits - it works. The Crohn's inflammation round my arse cleared up, my anal fissures healed in double-quick time, and everything coming out was suddenly solid! I had more energy - in fact, for the first time in a long, long time, I was able to conceive of taking on more activities of an evening! No longer was I limited to working, eating and sleeping! Whoopee!

Next, the drawbacks. Most prosaically, this sudden firmness of the stool was a bit of a shock, and my bottom struggled with it for a bit. However, feeling a bit stretched every so often was a small price to pay, frankly. The other drawback, however, is a little annoying. For some reason the infliximab makes my skin much more sensitive, and itchy. Unless I'm careful, I find myself scratching it to the point of causing a nasty rash on my arms. However, I've started taking these one-a-day anti-histamine pills, which keeps it under control - although I still find myself occasionally giving the upper arms an absent-minded rub. Just got to keep an eye on that.

There is one final problem with this wonder-drug. For the first few infusions (so, call that three months), it seemed to work flawlessly, and I was completely solid and symptom-free from one session to the next.  However, since January, I've noticed that the effects are beginning to wear off as I approach the next infusion. Now, this also coincides with the point at which my former employers started talking about a redundancy program, which I will freely admit made me rather stressed (and not just me, either - but that's a different story). So there might be an element of stress-related flare-up in there. It's not uncommon. However, over the last two infusions, it seems like the last two weeks before a session have seen me on a decline. In fact, last time I ended up in bed for the entire fortnight!

In response to this, the hospital have reduced my infusion interval from eight to six weeks. This is my first six-week interval; right now, it's four weeks since the last one and two weeks to go before the next. Right now, I feel pretty good. This is a good sign since I am in the middle of moving house, selling my flat, and finding a new job - all very stressful undertakings, I'm sure you'll agree. What's more, I'm changing hospitals - so my next infusion will (if they ever ring me back) be in Addenbrooke's, and not anywhere in Scotchland.

So right now, we stand on the eve of great changes, and only time will tell...

Built from VW parts and gas canisters - the Hotpod

http://www.hotpod.co.uk


Came across this while I was at the Grand Designs Live exhibition which is on in London this week (and yes, I am now full of plans to build my own house on a piece of land the size of a postage stamp somewhere desirable)... this is a stove made by 'artist-blacksmith' Daniel Harding, when he needed to keep warm in his camper van while on January surfing expeditions. Pretty, no? And entirely recycled. And finished to a high standard, which makes a change.

And now for something completely different - RUGBY

http://www.arcrugby.co.nz/
It's commentary, Jim, but not as we know it. What I especially like about the ARC, though, is the imagination that goes into soe of the animated sequences.

Beyond the Schlock of the New: a design essay on core77

http://www.core77.com/blog/featured_items/beyond_the_schlock_of_the_new_eight_strategies_for_design_and_foresight_by_kevin_mccullagh_10912.asp
Strange how some things seem like complete common sense, and yet rarely get articulated...

Vases made from cardboard! Yay!

http://www.cardboarddesign.com/liquidNO3.htm
Just doing some spring cleaning of my inbox, clearing out some links...

Somebody has made monochrome paper lanterns and called them vases. They are pretty. That is all.

Shapeways | creator

http://www.shapeways.com/creator/
In reality, this is more of an introduction to rapid prototyping rather than a serious way of getting stuff made... but it's pretty cool.

Best of Green: Design + Architecture

Simpy gorgeous Green + Design (architecture really)

You all know I'm a sucker for this sort of stuff.