Day 7 of Chemo 24th July 2018

Not long back from a long day at the local hospital, and before I go any further with this post I must say that the care, treatment and support that everyone gives me whilst I am there is OUTSTANDING.

I feel like everyone is 'on my side', and right across the different departments who are all working together in a massive team effort. The focus and aim being to treat me as a person, listen to me, talk with me and share advice and thoughts is truly overwhelming with  the ultimate goal being  to empower me with decision making and improve the quality of life that I have with support, helpful advice, hugs, and most of all compassion.

Today has been a good day, so yes, five hours or so inside most of which has been spent sat down in an Oncology chair has been a real lift to my spirits. ( That and the steroid injections!)

Fortunately I had Sue with me all the time, (No1 carer had the time off he was owed), and such was another pair of listening ears, and asking questions person with my chemo/oxygen deprived brain being a very necessary addition. 

With my head spinning with new information, the one way for me to process all this is to write it down, so whilst it's still fresh in my mind, here it goes.

We began in the Oncology unit with a blood test, first hurdle, the port itself is becoming 'unstable'. I've gained a huge amount of weight/fluid from my stomach down, but meanwhile my top half is withering away, little stick arms and not much 'chest flesh'. It was hard enough to 'make a pocket' big enough to fit it in the first place, and now the skin has become thin and stretched and not looking pretty (did it ever?). So it's making a bid for freedom, ( think of the film Alien...or maybe don't.)

So, we cross our fingers and cover it up and hope it will last a bit longer at least, I really don't want weekly cannulas, I have no veins left to use, and the pain is rubbish.

Blood results back, HB 9.6
White cell 8.00
Neutrophil 6.70
Platelets 194

Also mildly encouraging the CA 125 has dropped slightly from 3,640, to 2,940, one of the many questions about whether we carry on with the Chemo or not, still difficult to say if it's 'working' or not.

Based on the good blood counts, we went ahead, and even upped the dose again this week. Batten down the hatches, we could be in for a rough ride.

Sat like a Queen on a throne, I then indulged in many conversations with staff and visitors alike, fuelled by black coffee, and Sue's homemade protein lunch. Chatted to NB from Hospice, and decided to carry on with a two week blast of steroids, just dropping the dosage a bit.

A suggested abdomen scan, as it is very swollen, and let's not go into my ongoing bowel issues, but the main reason for the ultra sound would be to see how much fluid is in there, again, it's lymph fluid.
Two problems, firstly, have a drain and take out some fluids, however, you will be taking out albumin, which will deplete the levels, not good, and it could fill up just as quickly.(Oh, how I love having drain needles hanging out everywhere). Or just wait it out and try to deal with the level of discomfort.

Chemo finished around 3pm, and miraculously, favours had been asked/begged and I 'trotted' off to radiology for a chest scan. When I say trotted, my long suffering friend fed up with me and my disparaging remarks about her 'porter' chair driving skills thought it would be good idea for me to walk downstairs, and negotiate wheeling the chair behind me whilst she had the arduous task of carrying my portable oxygen.

Of course, I was spectacularly brilliant, whilst most passer-by's looked on incredulously, ( It was just what I needed though, too long sat down).

Chest scan done, and then straight onto Ultra sound, incredible service and so lucky that being in the hospital, not having to spend another day, another trip, makes the whole process a 100 times better. Especially after a few hours spent having chemo already.

Couple of days to find out the best course of action..

Finally, had a lovely hair wash yesterday at my hairdresser, glad to be able to have some still to wash, although thinning, it's hanging on in.

Plus a short little paddle in the sea down at the Lifeboat slip with two bodyguards and two reluctant four legged 'swimmers'.