Following a good few weeks of tests, scans, results, chats etc treatment plan was laid out. Two or three five day courses of chemo as an in-patient before starting a five day a week, seven week course of radiotherapy with a few one day stays for further chemo thrown in, a PEG tube, plus sessions with a speech therapist to excercise my tongue (wife not too keen on me exercising elsewhere but understands) ;) Visit for dental assesment-need to lose four not so pearly whites.
Have agreed to take part in a PET scan clinical trial and have been informed that I'm allocated to the group that instead of automatically having a neck dissection after radiotherapy I have a Pet scan which hopefully will show that the treatments have knocked out the cancer, if cancer remains then I have the surgery but if not one less lot of misery to go through.
Turned up yesterday for a chat about the radiotherapy & side effects etc & got bombshelled with the news that the first chemo starts today.
Now sitting in my hospital bed hooked up to my new bossom companion, feel a bit like a pin cushion Doc this morning took a good few attempts on both arms & both hands before succeeding with the cannula, lasted about three hours then started to come out, two hour interuption to treatment till a senior nurse arrived to insert a replacement, first attempt & in it went. At the moment mouth starting to dry a little & odd taste in throat but quite comfortable-nothing to complain about. Staff (Singleton Swansea) have been brilliant-just hope they don't get fed up with me.
This been somewhat long winded but fair bit to get down, sure the continuing story will be a bit less wordy.
By the way have pee'd for Britain today.
