I feel like I might just be starting to climb out of the hole.

I would not say that yesterday was awful as there are plenty more in greater discomfort than me. Plenty who suffer excruciating pain. And plenty, like the woman in the room next door, who, confused and scared, cry out in the night unaware of their plight simply wanting to see a familiar face to make it all go away.

For me yesterday was quite a low day. I was riding a high temperature and, despite numerous samples, swabs and prodding, doctors could not determine its cause. So while they swapped around a few of my drugs I slept, shivered, and sweated my way through the day only getting out for ten minutes for a trip to x-ray just along the hall.

Physically I was at my worst but I had also lost my dogged self assurance that I could ride this out. As time went on I grew concerned that they had not narrowed down the source of the infection but the more tests they did the more I was concerned that they would find something else unrelated to Leukaemia.

Once all tests had been done I was given a paracetamol to reduce the fever. My temperature returned to within normal limits, and I slipped of to sleep.

Waking this morning my temperature was still low indication that there was more than mere paracetamol at work. After my first "obs" at about eight I stayed awake; watched the news; and saw the milky sun rise over rooftops freshly dusted with snow.

Breakfast was porridge followed by a CT scan of my throat and chest.

I have read, watched films, and browsed emails from work in nearly equal measure and only now, as the day reaches its end, do I feel tired. My hopes now are that my CT scan is clear of anything - either associated with or not related to Leukaemia - and that this marked improvement on yesterday is not the eye of the storm but a permanent clearing of skies. The start of the road to recovery.

A countdown to the day when I can go home and sleep in my own comfy bed.