Saturday - Golf is cancelled because of gale force winds and driving rain. Probably the worst storm we have had this year. Sitting in my study I can watch the leaves being stripped off the trees. It’s a good time to catch up on the blog.
Over half way through the zapping. It seems to have gone very quickly and so far, compared to chemo, it is very straightforward. The biggest hassle is having to drive and hour each way for a 10-minute process. As advised, I diligently anoint MLB with aqueous cream morning and night and it seems to have the desired effect in that my skin hasn’t really shown much sign of being affected. I was warned that it would probably go red and start to become quite sore after about seven to ten days but this hasn’t happened. I do know that the effect is cumulative though and continues to get worse for a couple of weeks after the therapy has finished so I am expecting to get some reaction over the next few days.
More info on radiotherapy at St Luke’s Cancer Centre here for those who are interested http://www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk/External-beam-radiotherapy
The other good news is that I have also now had four sessions of MLD and the results are quite amazing. The therapist measured both arms before she started to see how badly swollen the left one was. There was a difference of about 3 cms in some places and her whizzy computer calculated that the arm was carrying 390mls of extra fluid…that’s around ¾ of a pint. Those of you who recall Tony Hancock might remember him going to give blood and coming out with the immortal words along the lines of...”A pint! That’s an armful.” How true.
Anyway, the MLD has reduced a lot of the swelling and the overall process has kick started my lymph system working properly again so that I have lost something like 8 lbs in less than a week. My ankles are back to normal and I am just much less bloated overall. Even my face and neck look thinner. I must have been carrying a massive amount of extra fluid around. All thanks to the b***** chemo.
This afternoon I will pick up a compression sleeve from the therapist. I will wear this for golf, working on the computer, flying and anything that may cause the arm to swell again. Hopefully this plus the exercises and simple massage I can do myself, along with some top up trips to the therapist will keep things under control. The bad news is that I will have this problem for life. I just have to learn to live with it.
It could be worse…I have a permanent excuse to ask people to carry things for me!
Still no real sign of any hair growing back. I have had a faint, thin fuzz for a few weeks but it hasn’t developed into anything. It’s got to happen soon!!
The wig is going out this evening. It is the night of the golf ball at the RAC. It will be the first (and probably the last) time it gets to go to a posh do.
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