24/33 Monday 28 April 2014: Weight 74.5 kilos. A bit sluggish this morning, trying to get out of the house for 11.00, to arrive one hour before the 13.05 appointment. Needed a shower and shave but it all takes time. Slightly constipated. Needn’t have worried as one of the R/T machines had broken down and everything was 30 minutes behind. Because of this, I waited until I was told before starting to drink water. They only made me wait 35 minutes after drinking before calling me through, which was helpful, as was the fact that the usual Monday scan was skipped to try and push through as many ‘customers’ as possible. May turned up with some sandwiches from Sainsbury’s, which we enjoyed with a large, mixed salad and a plate of chips. Stopped off on the way home to pick up some shopping so I felt really tired by the time we got home, around 17.00, and went to bed for an hour.
25/33 Tuesday 29 April 2014: Weight 75.4 kilos. Tube strike in London today so chose to travel by Overground from Harrow and Wealdstone station to Euston. Very easy, once on the train. Fifteen minutes to London then short walk 400 metres. Arrived 75 minutes before my appointment at 12.05. Started the first part of the bowel prep using the micro enema. Whilst waiting the fifteen minutes for it to take effect, Mitch gave me my weekly review. Everything going ok, side effects minimal, and I was feeling well, apart from the tiredness. Down to my last 4 micro enemas, so she gave me another four to take me up to my last R/T treatment on Saturday May 10. Today I’d forgotten to take my Keppra anti-epilepsy tablets, so warned her that there was a small chance of a seizure. She felt I would be fine, and so I was. Finished with her then almost immediately called through to the R/T waiting area near machine E. This is my preferred place where they pipe in bird song to calm the atmosphere. My fifteen minutes had passed so finished off the bowel prep. As I filled my first cup of water, one of the team came to ask which cup I was about to drink. Always a good idea to wait until told to start drinking, especially for me, where much more than 40 minutes and I can’t hold it. Finished my three cups and was kept waiting for about 45 minutes before they took me into the R/T room. A scan was included today so the whole process took 15 minutes. I was lying in the advised posture of hands crossed over my chest like the deceased knight tombs in Canterbury Cathedral. Held on just, so afterwards, emptied my bladder, waited the recommended 10 minutes and emptied again, before returning home via Euston.
26/33 Wednesday 30 April 2014: Weight 75.4 kilos. Another trip via Harrow and Wealdstone station into London. A fairly routine day, although, whilst in reception, I was asked to fill in a brief ‘yes’/’no’ survey analysing the mental and physical side effects of the treatment. My only yeses were tiredness and occasional constipation. Otherwise, a routine bowel prep and water drinking process. One of the radiographers was an older, grey haired gentleman, a bit of a change from the usual young women who normally deal with me but totally professional. Stopped off in Harrow on the way back for a bit of shopping, then home to rest for an hour, and, afterwards, catch up on my water intake.
27/33 Thursday 1 May 2014: Weight 74.6 kilos. Dare I say, ‘another day at the office’? Not quite, but becoming almost routine. Except that one of the machines broke down and we all had to wait a bit longer for treatment. I had to hold my water for 55 minutes, almost a record for me. I feel almost fraudulent in being there, with my tiny blip of a psa rise, but there are just as many others, not obviously sick. Cheerful, normal, genuine people going through their treatment without fuss or complaint. But there are so many others struggling in with walking sticks or in wheelchairs or on beds being wheeled in for their dose of, hopefully, curative radiotherapy. Home to bed and an hours sleep.
28/33 Friday 2 May 2014: Weight 74.8 kilos. Up early at 6.30, as my appointment was booked for 10.10, to allow me to attend a funeral in the afternoon. No major problems, although I declared my last cup of water as being finished 5 minutes earlier than it was. This meant the forty minutes they usually allow me for filling my bladder was actually reduced to thirty five. No major risk as the early start meant my regular two glasses of water before breakfast were still percolating through my system. Normally, having an appointment three hours later allows the bladder to be emptied along with the rectum, post micro enema. Home by 12.45, a quick lunch, then thirty minutes nap before changing into a white shirt, suit and black tie and off to the church for 14.00.
