Wednesday 12th September

Wednesday 12^th September 

Belated birthday wishes to mum-in-law, been a little busy today so unable to visit, still I think she understands!!

Unfortunately not a day I will look back on fondly, other than to say only TWO more chemo sessions to go!! Let’s start with the good news, I had the results from the second blood test on Monday (taken 20minutes after first one) My white cells had gone up to 1.9 (better) and my clotting platelets up to 96 (from 73) how bizarre is that! The best news is my CA125 is still on 6 (cancer marker- needs to be below 35) so really thrilled by that.

Now today started like any normal day, dog, breakfast, shower and then two offspring took me into hospital and then went food shopping for me.

The very lovely nurse HD was looking after me, and as I was a tad late she had everything ready to go. We chatted, looked at veins and then put the cannula in- all fine, minor discussion on using a ‘yellow’ one as usually it’s blue for transfusion.(I was having in the afternoon) I looked at the needle as she was chatting and realised that the tube was leaking blood as tube was not in properly. HD started to fix it and I remember saying ‘I don’t feel well, I think I may faint, to which she very quickly put the chair up to lie me back, and opened the window, sick tray provided- she said ‘How are you feeling now”? I never fully replied, I was ‘gone’. I came around to see her and another nurse trying to wake me, managed to say randomly ‘lovely dreams’ (nothing to do with ‘fifty shades of grey’ I hasten to add!!!) Before I passed out again!! I remember nothing else until a few minutes later when I was dragged out of more ‘lovely dreams’ to find a nurse doing blood pressure, one putting in a saline drip, one rubbing my hand saying ‘wake up’, one lifting my legs, the Dr looking anxious, and another nurse rushing backwards and forwards getting stuff!!! Not to mention the oxygen mask shoved on my face!! That shut me up fairly quickly! I do remember apologising profusely (never mind that every nurse was at my bedside, and the other patients were quietly waiting for the fuss to die down.)

This was all just after 9.30am- I hadn’t even started the chemo!! HD and Dr SA chatted to me later when I had fully recovered and thought it was more than likely to be a Vasavagel Attack- brought on by a combination of needle, blood, a dip in blood pressure that dropped to 70/30 and the fact that my haemoglobin level was very low to start with.

So when all the excitement had died down and I had had a hot drink and more toast, there was discussion on whether to proceed with chemo or try and have transfusion the first or even to have chemo at all. I said I’m here the cannula is in- let’s go for it, which we did but of course the time by then was 10.20am. HD kept a close watch on me (she needed a strong cup of tea after her adrenalin rush earlier!!) 

Finished Chemo at 12.45ish and went straight to Chevalier ward,  where about 1.30 ish I started my first litre of blood. Blood group was A rhesus negative, thought I was AB rhesus neg, so let’s hope I’m wrong and they’re right!!!

I’d had a sleep for an hour during chemo, and then slept for nearly 2 hours during transfusion even during 15min blood pressure/temperature check, I was just so tired; ulcers so sore didn’t want to talk just sleep! Hubby came in at 4ish and daughter at 4.45 after her stint for Waitrose at the careers fair helping out on the stand.

Finally came home about 6.30pm, worn out and wobbly. Many thanks to AH for a beautiful homemade fish pie (x2) vegetables and a huge Chocolate cake, needless to say the boys (who had been dog sitting) were extremely grateful, knowing that baked beans on toast wouldn’t have sufficed!!

“My second favourite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.”

Erma Bombeck