Blue Monday....

Firstly, thanks guys for the comments- I get them on email immediately they are posted , and I do appreciate thats its not easy to post/publish on the blog, and I also appreciate that not everyone likes to use the "open to all" way of communicating.

I'll start at the business end - and so far both the chemo and the port seem to be working well, I should have the chemical infusion of cisplatin on a weekly basis. I say should, as last week my blood counts had unsurprisingly dropped to a level that they would be questioning whether or not it they would be able to  go ahead.

Wisely the oncologist lowered the actual dose even more and it was given on Thursday, that seems to be my day now, but as I say things change every week.  I am also going into hospital to have a blood test pre chemo day, as if 'we' decide on the day that my bloods cant take it, the chemo will have already been made up and wasted- it's far too expensive to do that, despite my minimal dose.

Nausea seems to be the first real bothersome side effect, but of course there are tablets for that, which then cause constipation... and that's me on a very small dose, I'd hate to have the full whack of the stuff, this particular chemo is renowned for causing sickness. ( As a friend of mine had to have), but you have to think of this as 'medicine' and i do believe that even in minor doses it is working.

Not that we are actively following my CA125 count, which is just as well as it started way up at nearly 3,000 ( should be under 35 remember!) but it had dropped to 562, so as that is an inflammation marker it would seem to indicate that the tumours have been, at least halted.

I am due a blood test tomorrow at the hospital, to see whether I am viable for chemo this week, we talked about a blood transfusion as my haemoglobin is low at 9.4 , but as Dr B had 'assessed' me on the badminton court the week before ( we both play different clubs on same night), and thought if I can manage that, I shouldn't need a transfusion! We also talked about an injection of GCS-F ( boosts your white cell count) but I said it really knocks out your platelets and mine are already low at 98.

Moving on, today is, I heard on the radio Blue Monday, not that I pay that much attention as every day as far as I'm concerned is a bonus, but it's fair to say that it didn't start well! More of that later.

Bex has been struggling a lot over the past two weeks, initially she was managing her timetable very well, and even going back to work for a few hours a week. (They have been amazingly understanding, and incredibly accommodating, thank goodness). Not wanting to go into too much detail it has been a very difficult time for her and the family, but we are all communicating with the 'team' and issues are being resolved as they arise.

However last night she was really suffering with a sore tummy, this happens on a daily basis, and so not too unusual but then at around 3am she was very ill - and as the island seems to have a stomach bug going around I fear she may have unfortunately picked one up.

Not ideal for her , or for that matter any of us in the household. I am hoping its a twentyfour bug and not the norovirus that is also doing the rounds. Rest and plenty of fluids plus a bit of dry toast is my recommendation for the next few hours at least.

The weather has changed dramatically from the dry, sunny calm spell we have just had,  with gale force winds and rain forecast all this week, and everywhere is so wet already- it make dogs walks a real joy..... not!!


A past photo from a lovely weekend with family.

 You turn your back for a second and the cat takes full advantage of an open dishwasher....

 Snowdrops in our meadow.