Tuesday and at last my blood results come through on the second set I had to do due to the first ones being rejected. I am relieved to see that my PSA has dropped again.

Most of the pink items are falling back to the normal range and my kidney function (eGFr) remains steady and increases slightly, which is a good sign. Overall I am content with these results and there is certainly nothing in them that would suggest I should not go on to cycle 7 of the chemo rechallenge. I will find out at Wednesdays oncology review. What I need to do now is get back to training as this helps with the toxicity elements I experience. The rest of my day was spent lazing and watching the world snooker championship as I waited for the soreness of yesterdays 28 day jab wears off. The injection leaves me with a pigeon egg sized lump in my abdomen, and it is not only sore but also uncomfortable until my body absorbs some of the mass. So I laze and ease my way trough the day until I take my night meds and get myself to bed.

Wednesday and its oncology review day, but first there are vitals to take and breakfast to be had. Of course the morning meds are in there as well. I get into my training clothes so that I can get myself to the garage and the rower quickly. As my breakfast settles I draft the last couple of days blog till I am ready to train. My oncology review could be tricky in that I need to convince the oncologist that I have overcome the toxicity issues by training. As the extent of toxicity is judged by blood results and self report I am hopeful I can convince the oncologist to go to cycle seven without reducing the dosage. I also want a conversation about resveratrol and copper supplements to counteract the non haematological toxicity. So a chat about cell free Chromatin particles (cfChPs) is in order, but I am not sure he will want to engage in it, as I think he is only interested in what he is prescribing. I guess I will get to find out one way or another.

I get to the rower in the garage and strap myself onto it ad set off. Its three days since I last trained so I am not sure how I am going to go. Initially it feels that I am labouring and not making much head way but I gradually pick up rhythm and crack on. By the end of my twenty minutes I find I have just completed a personal best for my twenty minute sessions.

I am pleased to find I have gone further than before, in fact when I do the numbers I find my performance has improved by 17% over the last 15 days. I am feeling better than I was and it feels it is helping with coping the chemo rechallenge. Having got back into training I need to continue with it. Having got back to the sanctuary of the sofa I down some Lucozade and return to the blog. I am happily tapping away and listening to the motivational training podcast when I am surprised by the oncologist ringing me to do the monthly review. It is not my usual oncologist (he who made a pact with the devil) and a different guy. He launches in with, “your bloods are good and your kidney function is holding up, which is reassuring”. I interject and tell him about returning to training and without inducing peeing blood. He says that is good and notes it probably helps with the toxicity. He ends up confirming cycle 7 and says the dosage will remain the same and that he will send me a blood form. Then it is over and he has gone. I have what I want with very little effort. With the oncologist gone, I return to drafting the blog.

I rest in the afternoon and take a refreshing shower before watching more world championship snooker. My partner goes out for a meal with a friend so I order in an Indian takeaway and treat myself to my favourites before watching a European cup semi final and nibbling popadoms. My evening ends with meds and bed as usual. Tomorrow will mean the garden guy coming to mow the lawns, so I will be out in the garden beginning to weed out some beds to make room for the seedlings that are developing in the mini green houses.