All the news (good or bad) from Summerhill Stables

The evening of Friday March 3rd.

We went to see the consultant at Barrow for the first time for four weeks today. He said that Pikey was responding well to the present drug regime and that, in consequence, he was rather iffy about the benefits of a second stem cell transplant. The dilemma is that the drugs could keep the whole thing at bay for a fair time - that‘s the good news - but that it is fairly unclear as to whether they would recommend a second stem cell transplant for any one over 60 - Pikey will be 61 in April - and that’s the bad news.

In any case a second transplant has greater risks than the original transplant and, although the procedure would be identical to the first one, it is probable that the recovery time would be longer and more traumatic. All in all it looks as though the second stem cell transplant is not on but we are booked in to see the “king of stem cells” at Christies in Manchester within the next two months; in the meantime we are continuing with the drug regime.

We are not due for another hospital visit for three weeks so we have booked a cottage on the cliffs of the Mull of Galloway - next to an automated lighthouse - for the week commencing March 18th.

Love R and P