just when you think things can't get any worse

I think it's fair to say that I'm used to setbacks in life.

As soon as I turned 40 things started to deteriorate.  I suffered a really nasty flu infection leaving me bed ridden for over a week and ill for two more.  I lost over 15 kilograms in weight in that short period of time and it's fair to say I was pretty unwell.

Then my heart problems started.  A consequence of the flu maybe, or more likely the years as an endurance athlete pushing my body to its limits, and beyond.  Nonetheless, it was a lifelong thing that I needed to contend with, unless surgery could fix it.

After three attempts failed it was decided surgery could not, in fact, fix it so instead I had a pacemaker fitted to stop my heart from, well, stopping.

Then of course there's the cancer debacle.

The cancer was the easy bit.  The treatment however nearly killed me.  My initial chemotherapy needed to be stopped after I developed a near fatal saddle embolus on my right lung, meaning that my stem-cell transplant wouldn't have the best start in life.

I left the label on just in case, you know...

Then there was the transplant itself.  Most people, I was told, sail through it with few problems.  And indeed, for the two people having one the same time as me this was the case.  Both were sent home after ten days or so.  I spent three weeks in hospital before going home.

And then 24 hours later returning with a high temperature and some infection or other meaning another two-week incarceration.

But, and it's a big but, I had nearly eight years of relatively good health before relapsing.

But, and it's another but, my chemotherapy seemingly started my heart problems all over again, so it's been stopped again.

I can, however, still have bone strengthening infusions.  Thankfully!  Before they could begin though I needed my dentist to give me a clean bill of health as the treatment can interfere with any dental treatment that may be required during the infusions.  Sounds trivial but can be really very serious.

No matter I thought, I've had one filling in my entire life and regular six-monthly check-ups always come back as just fine.

My dentist though decided to be on the safe side he'd take a couple of x-rays.  He then proclaimed that I had two teeth that would probably be fine but might, just might cause me problems down the line and it would be safer to take them out!

Nooooo!!!!! was my immediate thought.  They're right at the back so there are no cosmetic issues, but more importantly their extraction means a three-month delay before I can begin bone strengthening.  And let's be frank here, knowing my luck we can all guess what'll happen in the interim.

I'm 60 years old next March (if I make it) and that'll herald twenty years of health issues or worries from my flu, through my heart problems and right up to the return of myeloma.

If this were a novel or a film, no-one would believe it.  And if I were a horse?  Well, we can guess the rest!