I suppose I couldn't really expect to get through this treatment scott-free, and so it has turned out. The day before my Myto infusion I had a sore throat. Spoke to the Christie hotline as I didn't want to traipse all the way up there only to be told they couldn't treat me. But they said I'd have to go anyway as treatment would depend on the results of the blood test. So on Thurs morning we went to Manchester - by then I'd lost my voice. Saw yet another registrar - it's a different one each time, unless Dr Saunders is called in for advice. They are all lovely - I'd just like to have some continuity, but that's the NHS for you.
Anyway, this nice doctor had a look at my throat (my voice had partially returned by then), said it was OK, and the bloods were fine, so I went ahead and had the chemo, plus took home another cycle of Capecitabine.
We stayed overnight at the hotel, as we always do now when I'm having Myto, and were home by lunchtime yesterday. I went upstairs for a nap and when I woke up I was clearly suffering from a fever - raised temp and all shivery and hot at the same time. So I rang the hotline, who told me to contact my local hospital (the Royal Shrewsbury) where I used to be a patient before I transferred to the Christie. Eventually, after about 5 phone calls - these things always happen on Friday evenings when no one wants to take your call - I was advised to go to the medical assessment unit.
There I had a blood test, obs, some IV antibiotics, a visit from a doctor, a chest x-ray etc etc. The first lot of bloods didn't work - the blood was haemolysed, whatever that means, so they had to do it again. The second test showed that my neutrophils were OK but that the white blood cells were a little low, so there was a decision to be made as to whether I'd have to be taken in to isolation or sent home with a prescription for oral antibiotics, and the decision had to be made by a registrar. Instead we were left to languish in a freezing cold side room under relentless fluorescent lights with no information for 3 more hours (and no wifi!). Apparently the only registrar on duty was attending an emergency. I was tired, ill, cold and getting a bit weepy. Finally, near midnight, I was released to go home - what a relief!
This morning my throat felt like sandpaper, I was still running a temperature and when I tried to get up for breakfast I came over all dizzy and nauseous, so I'm back in bed. However, hubby went off to the pharmacy this morning and got my antibiotics, so I'm sure they will sort me out soon.
Moral of the story - don't go getting infections just before your chemo. I think I picked up this throat infection at a meditation group last Sunday morning. There was a lady there coughing all morning, and of course I was in the same room with her for some hours. It didn't occur to me that that might be a risk for me. In future, I'm going to give a wide berth to anyone coughing and sneezing around me!
