If I'd have been drunk, this would have never happened - It's now day 11, half way into my first course of chemo. I had my initial IV at the hospital and manage the rest at home, taking three Capecitabine 500mg tablets twice a day plus anti-sickness. So far it's not as bad as I expected, but I can't handle the exhaustion syndrome. In April I did a three mile mountain trek at Glendalough in Ireland, now it's virtually impossible for me to walk to my local store and back. The worst time so far was Wednesday 13th, when I walked down to the pub to say hi to everybody. I didn't feel right, I was giddy, disoriented, very cold and felt totally zonked. I remember standing at the bar and ordering a tomato juice, the next I was laying on the floor with people bringing me round, all I wanted to do was sleep. They called an ambulance against my wishes, luckily it was a carpeted floor I landed on and wasn't injured, although really embarrassed.
The paramedics insisted in carting me off to AE, whilst being constantly monitored with an ECG. I had to laugh out loud when the female assistant started plugging me in with those suckers all over my chest and arms. As she leaned over her booby touched my chin, she asked if I felt alright.... you can imagine my answer.. LMAO! All I wanted to do was sleep, even at the hospital they had a job trying to wake me to be interviewed by a Doctor. After having a deep sleep I felt okay, and just wanted to get out the place and go home. They were willing to let me go but asked if I had somebody giving me a ride or meeting me, I just jumped on a bus outside AE and 20 minutes later I was home again.
Two days later I went over to our local florist and got a bunch of flowers for the land-lady of the pub as a thank you for her help, and walked down and back without a problem. I been told when they were carting me off in the ambulance I said to the driver - home James, don't spare the horses.
Cancer is an awful illness: It's now directly or indirectly affecting "one person in three," it's one of those illness's you think will never happen to you. But, regardless of chemo and the major operation I will soon have to face - it will never destroy my sense of humour!
