Tuesday 6 October.
I’m up and about! Tired and prone to falling asleep at the drop of a hat but upright and dressed which is better than when I was on hols. I took my own advice after the last chemo session and simply gave in.
The actual session was fine. In fact I couldn’t wait to get it done with so I really could say ‘ no more chemo’. Good thing it was the last session. I have no more useable veins in my right hand and arm so if I needed any more IVs I would be in trouble.
During the last session Dr S arrived to discuss the next steps – Radiotherapy - and we have arranged for me to have a planning session and CT scan on 13 October followed by the first blast of mega rays on 3 Nov at St Luke’s Cancer centre in Guildford. After that it is a daily trek to the hospital for a 10 minute session until 23 Nov when we will be all done. As ever I have had to sign the inevitable consent form, including giving permission to be tattooed! Apparently they like to put some permanent ‘dots’ in place so they know where to aim the RT. And I always said I would never have a tattoo!
Saw Mr P on the Thursday after chemo while I was still OK. A five minute follow up where he expressed himself more than happy with progress and asked me to come back in January. I’ll be interested to see how much we get charged for that visit. Had the last Neulasta jab Thursday afternoon and that was it.
Worked from home on Friday but was beginning to feel a bit spaced out and by Saturday I was sleeping most of the time. Sunday and Monday were much the same with the ‘bleugh’ feeling and lack of taste kicking in. I decided not to take the co-codamol but stuck to paracetamol for the bone pain. It sort of worked but I have had a lot of bone pain at night, which has made me a bit more tired than I planned. The positive is that I have not had as much of an upset stomach. Swings and roundabouts. Now though I think I might be able to do a bit of work tomorrow and even attempt some gentle Pilates on Thursday.
The chemo nurses have been great through all of this but I have to say I am delighted not to have to see them again. I did get to have a chat with the oncology liaison nurse before I left. Not about the treatment but about the pastoral care chap who has jumped ship and gone off to be a Roman Catholic priest. I jokingly said I hoped he wasn’t married and she floored me by saying not only was he married but he has two children. How does that work then? Answers in the comments section if you know. It’s all a bit ‘Thornbirds’ if you ask me.
Next stop Venice and then I shall be looking carefully in the mirror to spot the first signs of hair re-growth. So much to look forward to!
The wig is getting a bit worried. I shall work on a retirement plan for it. But it will still be needed for a few months yet I think.
Showing posts with label bone pain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bone pain. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Thursday, 24 September 2009
24 September - Sunshine & Showers
Thursday 24 September.
Here we are just back from 11 days in Spain. Well - the best-laid plans went astray! I had the horrid Neulasta jab on the Thursday after chemo and started taking the pain relief straight away. Didn’t have any bone pain over the next few days at all. Having played (gently) in the mixed invitation at LGC and felt a bit off by the end of the day I threw stuff into a bag when I got home and called it ‘packing’.
I was very tired by about 9 pm and went to bed, as we had to be up at 3.45 am to catch our 6.25 am flight. When I woke up I felt awful. Incredibly tired and with more of the ‘bleugh’ feeling than I had experienced before. I managed to get in the taxi but was feeling even worse when we got to the airport. The flight was a nightmare – I kept falling asleep but every time the cabin crew came with food or drink I woke up feeling queasy. Suffice it to say that I really don’t remember a lot of the trip. I fell asleep on the plane, in the baggage hall, at the car rental counter, in the car on the trip to La Manga Club and finally on top of the unmade bed in the apartment. Basically I stayed in that bed for three days. I couldn’t eat much and had poor C running around finding things that I thought I wanted like crunchy nut cornflakes (not available) and apples (something I rarely eat). I slept most of the time but had a really upset stomach and I am not sure if that was the Taxotere, the Co-codamol or the Senokot. Spain was very hot that first week so we kept the air conditioning running the whole time. I’m not sure what I would have done without it. Eventually I emerged and started eating again and by Thursday was able to play a bit of golf but had to have a ride on Scooter. By Saturday I was fine and firing on all cylinders although I looked whiter than i have ever looked out there before - I was slapping factor 50 sun block on because chemo really makes you sensitive to the sun. The rest of the holiday was great with some lovely food and great wine (Yes, I could taste it).
The golf was a bit patchy but was just coming right when we got to the last competition yesterday. Sods law being what it is, we got rained off and had to go out to lunch with the friends we were playing with instead. Such hardship!
The whole thing has taught me that after the next and thankfully last chemo session, I will simply take paracetamol and give in gracefully by crashing for those crucial days – probably Sunday to Wednesday.
But I do have a little treat in store…I’m off to Venice with a girlfriend on 22 October to celebrate no more chemo!!
The wig behaved perfectly and managed the heat without any problem. I was impressed.
Here we are just back from 11 days in Spain. Well - the best-laid plans went astray! I had the horrid Neulasta jab on the Thursday after chemo and started taking the pain relief straight away. Didn’t have any bone pain over the next few days at all. Having played (gently) in the mixed invitation at LGC and felt a bit off by the end of the day I threw stuff into a bag when I got home and called it ‘packing’.
I was very tired by about 9 pm and went to bed, as we had to be up at 3.45 am to catch our 6.25 am flight. When I woke up I felt awful. Incredibly tired and with more of the ‘bleugh’ feeling than I had experienced before. I managed to get in the taxi but was feeling even worse when we got to the airport. The flight was a nightmare – I kept falling asleep but every time the cabin crew came with food or drink I woke up feeling queasy. Suffice it to say that I really don’t remember a lot of the trip. I fell asleep on the plane, in the baggage hall, at the car rental counter, in the car on the trip to La Manga Club and finally on top of the unmade bed in the apartment. Basically I stayed in that bed for three days. I couldn’t eat much and had poor C running around finding things that I thought I wanted like crunchy nut cornflakes (not available) and apples (something I rarely eat). I slept most of the time but had a really upset stomach and I am not sure if that was the Taxotere, the Co-codamol or the Senokot. Spain was very hot that first week so we kept the air conditioning running the whole time. I’m not sure what I would have done without it. Eventually I emerged and started eating again and by Thursday was able to play a bit of golf but had to have a ride on Scooter. By Saturday I was fine and firing on all cylinders although I looked whiter than i have ever looked out there before - I was slapping factor 50 sun block on because chemo really makes you sensitive to the sun. The rest of the holiday was great with some lovely food and great wine (Yes, I could taste it).
The golf was a bit patchy but was just coming right when we got to the last competition yesterday. Sods law being what it is, we got rained off and had to go out to lunch with the friends we were playing with instead. Such hardship!
The whole thing has taught me that after the next and thankfully last chemo session, I will simply take paracetamol and give in gracefully by crashing for those crucial days – probably Sunday to Wednesday.
But I do have a little treat in store…I’m off to Venice with a girlfriend on 22 October to celebrate no more chemo!!
The wig behaved perfectly and managed the heat without any problem. I was impressed.
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
26 August - I learn that I am not superwoman.
Wednesday 26 August - Feeling a great deal better but still not 100% right. So for the first time in many months I have cancelled my golf game today. I am simply going to fuddle about, read and rest.
When I got up yesterday I was worried because I still felt ghastly but as I was scheduled to be an observer referee at the Southern Regions Girls Amateur Championships, and I knew they were desperately short of people, I forced myself to get in the car and drive to Worplesdon. By the time I got there I actually felt OK and the gentle walk around the course wasn’t a problem. A few undemanding rulings and I was beginning to feel we were back on track.
But I am tired. So today I give in……Only temporarily mind you!
One thing this has highlighted is that Dr S and I are going to have words next time I see him. I am not prepared to go through this again especially as we are due to fly to Spain four days after the next chemo and I have every intention of enjoying my holiday. Somehow we will have to come up with a solution – whether that be ditching the Neulasta injection or finding something whizzy in the pain relief cupboard.
When I got up yesterday I was worried because I still felt ghastly but as I was scheduled to be an observer referee at the Southern Regions Girls Amateur Championships, and I knew they were desperately short of people, I forced myself to get in the car and drive to Worplesdon. By the time I got there I actually felt OK and the gentle walk around the course wasn’t a problem. A few undemanding rulings and I was beginning to feel we were back on track.
But I am tired. So today I give in……Only temporarily mind you!
One thing this has highlighted is that Dr S and I are going to have words next time I see him. I am not prepared to go through this again especially as we are due to fly to Spain four days after the next chemo and I have every intention of enjoying my holiday. Somehow we will have to come up with a solution – whether that be ditching the Neulasta injection or finding something whizzy in the pain relief cupboard.
Monday, 24 August 2009
24 August - I spoke too soon.
Monday 24 August. I feel like s**t. And am having to work from home again because there is no way I could stand the commute. I thought I would get away with the worst of the Taxotere side effects but I haven't. I have 'Bone Pain'. This means simply that all my bones ache like hell. It is a common side effect of the chemo and the Neulasta, the drug they give you to boost white blood cell count. As a result I haven't been able to sleep much, am swallowing Ibruprofen and Paracetamol as quickly as I can and wanting to sleep. It will pass and I probably over did it at the weekend by playing two rounds of golf. I've learned. Next time I will only play one round - with a buggy - at the LGC mixed open.
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