Day 5 started out very well. I guess I was still benefiting from the Dexamethasone, and I had got the acid reflux well under control. I had been absolutely determined to complete my 200th parkrun. With a still stitched and healing portacath, I knew that would mean I needed to walk the course, but no matter. A good friend volunteered to walk it with me. Walking rather than running meant I explained my circumstances to a few more people - I am still in the stage of only telling people who are close to me or whom I feel need to know - but people were worrying why I wasn’t running. The background to that is I had a hip replacement last autumn and had got myself back to running this year. Nice to know people are concerned. We then went for a post parkrun breakfast in one of our favourite cafes - my husband and I, my friend and her husband, plus another friend.
I spent much of the rest of the day enjoying the sun. Prepared dinner, and then read through the instructions on Filgastrim injections. We decided my husband would do it. Not sure which of us was the more nervous but it passed without incident. Got to bed time without incident.
Then things switch. I change from things being better than I had expected, to oh dear here we are. Up multiple times during the night. The injections are making me really achy, particularly in areas where I have osteoarthritis. I am hugely grateful I got my hip fixed last year, but my left shoulder is painful as is my right middle finger and left thumb. My neck is stiff and my head hurts. Even worse, I have abdominal bloating and wind. No diarrhoea, but I don’t trust I can safely release wind unless I am on the loo. This continues more or less hourly through the night and morning. I get up for tea at 5am, go back to bed. I get up for breakfast at 9am, go back to bed. I get dressed and manage to stay up after lunch. i eventually got out for a short walk (with loo breaks) which has made me feel better than I have felt all day. I have no idea whether the bloating and wind is the Filgastrim or if it is because I no longer have the dexamethasone. The aching has settled a bit during the day but the bloating is still present. I await this evening’s jab with trepidation.
I have 3 different Board meetings I am meant to be attending tomorrow. At the moment that’s all looking unlikely.
