Felt bit yucky all week, takes me until Wednesday for energy levels to start picking up, and the sickness to abate. Never mind though, a small price to pay. As long as I can walk my girls, play a bit of sport and see my friends, all is well with the world.
Had a blood test on Wednesday and have recently discovered there is a new technique to make the port 'work'. I've tried the chicken wing dance (thanks Steph!), I would do the star jumps but I know I'd end up knocking the very expensive equipment over, let alone disturbing all the other 'inmates'. I have also 'run' up the four flights of stairs in the vain attempt to get the blood flowing.
Far more simple solution, and it is...... cough, not just the once though, I have had to cough myself through two phials of blood samples, bizarre but it works!
Of course nothing about me is normal, family and friends will agree wholeheartedly, and so I shouldn't have been surprised when I queried the small black 'mark' in my scar above the port. I thought it was possibly the end of a stitch that hadn't quite been removed.
Needless to say the staff had never seen anything quite like it, don't worry they've all had a good look.....we have eventually worked out that it is in fact the top of the screw that fixes the tubing into the port. It was supposed to be buried, but as there is not a lot of adipose tissue ( ok, FAT) it appears to be making a break for freedom.
In finding out my fellow inpatient had a port fitted too, I cheekily asked her If i could see it, I was amazed, there was hardly a bump in the skin, whilst mine looks like a mini Mount Everest on my chest, yes i can hear my brothers (and others) guffawing, and I shall get the usual derogatory comments about the size of my chest, but I am not blaming the surgeon, he did the best that he could with the materials he had.
We are monitoring the situation weekly.
Back to the blood test, I had a call on Thursday to say whilst three of the tests were ok (ish) my platelets were very low at 91, and so no chemo this week. That was a bit of a hurrah, hmmm, oh right, moment. Not entirely sure if I'm pleased or a bit disappointed.
Jolly glad to not be feeling sick though, and got to play tennis with friends, walk my girls in the sun and drink tea with other friends, full on day but gorgeous.
Then come home to a homemade Shepherds pie, large enough to feed a small platoon ( and a special dairy free one for me I hasten to add) thank you SH, truly feeling blessed today.
St Julian
And so our good Lord answered to all the questions and doubts which I could raise, saying most comfortingly: I may make all things well, and I shall make all things well, and I will make all things well; and you will see yourself that every kind of thing will be well.
– The Thirty-first Chapter
Love the photos. You do make me chuckle about the port ! Glad you been able to do your sports and dog walking. Lovely to see sunshine today xxx
ReplyDeleteHope you have had a lovely sunny day. Actually the coughing makes sense as I read recently that if you are alone and feel symptoms of a heart attack, coughing as violently as possible is what you should do xx
ReplyDeleteHmmm, provoking an earthquake to get the port to work is a bit extreme?! xx
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