Which turned out to be the wrong answer because they really trap things like pathogens and keep them there for the rest of your immune system to come and be activated by. Embarrassing. SOOOO embarrassing.
That reminds me of the time my brother asked me what Hodgkin's lymphoma was actually a cancer of - and I said, "Ummmmm well, Michael, I'll have to get back to you on that one," because I hadn't a clue. Now I know that lymphoma is a haematological neoplasm which "begins in the lymphocytes of the immune system and presents as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. They often originate like balls in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node (a tumor)." (Incidentally, lymphoid leukaemia begins in much the same way but doesn't form the solid lumps that lymphoma does - instead, the cancer just circulates in the blood and bone marrow.) Thank you, Wikipedia. There you go, Michael. Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Apart from swotting up to unprecedented levels of knowledge (Janet has started to freak out every time she comes in and finds me working; I don't know what's wrong with me!!) I have been chilling out at weekends - mainly with gin - and hosting the usual team of DELTA Great North Runners.
They all seemed to have fun - if one can ever truly have fun running a half-marathon - and have raised wonderful sums for DELTA (to sponsor any of them, go here). I was seized by Great North Run nostalgia and have vowed to run it for the third time next year, though I am sure the enthusiasm will wear off pretty soon. In other news, I've been surfing at Tynemouth (SO FUN!!!) and to the Alnwick Food Festival to buy the venison steak which became possibly one of the best meals I've had at uni. My guilt at eating Bambi's mummy evaporated after I'd chewed the first mouthful and realised how good it was. Yet another photo that fails to do the food justice:
And in hair news - well, it's certainly growing! The longer it gets the more tricks it tries to pull - have had some v. odd tufts and fronds and cowlicks happening, grr. See below; I had to pose for AGES to get a halfway-decent photo to show you and yet I still look like I'm contemplating a colonoscopy or something equally unpleasant. Oh well, look at the hair, the HAIR - squeeeeeeeeeee isn't it long!!?? (Still no follicular action in the irradiated bit though alas...)
Follow-up appointment is next Wednesday - not entirely sure what will be happening but I'm betting some blood tests are on the cards. This makes me as skittish as a young racehorse after what happened the last time someone tried to get blood out of my collapsed flaccid chemo-veins (4 ATTEMPTS, people) but I suppose I will have to man up. There will probably be a CT scan too but later on...will keep you posted, though I might be a wee bit busy! Updating the blog doesn't seem to fit in so well with normal daily life as it did with chemo-time - odd, that.
Now I have to go and decide what to do with my Friday evening.... the options are: collapse into bed and refuse to move for a good 14 hours; go out drinking with fellow third years to forget cardiology; hang out with fourth year friends who have exhausted themselves from mid-week partying; gym, bake, eat and sleep. Choices choices...
P.S. I was very very chuffed to be shortlisted for the Raising Awareness of Lymphoma Award and to make the final 6! Unfortunately couldn't make it to London for the award ceremony which I suppose is just as well because I didn't win. Haha, only kidding - I know it's really the taking part that counts and am very grateful to my nominators (plural!!! who'd have thought?!?) For details of the event, visit the Lymphoma Association's website.
