Tuesday 29th September
Well an hour or so after my last blog, I left a message for the consultant just in case the 4am pain bit hadn't filtered through. He rang straight back and after the usual questions, said he thought it would be a good idea to come in. "Ok,when?" says I "Now" says he - "we need to make sure it's not a pulmonary embolism." "Sh*t" says OH. "I'm not rushing!" say I. So we threw my still unpacked bag back in the car and headed off.
Got there and they took usual bloods + one to see if I was clotting normally. Also had an ECG which wasn't nearly as exciting as I thought it would be. Found me a bed and then after all the form filling etc someone came at me with two syringes of heperin (blood thinner) which they kindly injected into my abdomen (luckily needles don't bother me). Was told that if they'd answered the phone I would have been told to come straight in last night. Thanks for that. Was told that the dental surgery was now off because of the blood thinners so I was starting to get a leetle concerned that there would be a big delay sorting out the pain/clot/no clot bit then a delay while they sorted my teeth then they'd start round 2 chemo...still managed to sleep on my side with just co-codamol for 6 hours straight. In a ward - a definite first.
Wednesday had a shower . Shoulder pain not too bad - tho it hurt when breathing in. Then at lunchtime an almighty pain started further down on left side at the same time as the shoulder kicked in again. I admit that within 5 minutes I was f***ing petrified (sorry, can't think of a better word to use). A doc came and prodded about as best he could - it was marginally better if i stood up. He sent for another ECG but I couldn't lie down and breathe at the same time. I cried for two minutes then relaxed while she went to get a friend to help. Managed to lie down but couldn't breathe for the pain and the ECG looked like a 2 year old's first picture - and was totally useless. So they introduced the oromorph and I threw it up (either that or the lunch). So anti sickness and oromorph and by teatime things had settled down again. No scan despite people on the ward thinking that it was happening. However, a couple of friends from school read between the lines of the latest text and turned up unexpectedly which was really nice - they're lovely! Then Pete turned up as well which was also lovely - just for them to see that it was actually ok - which it was by then cos I was back on form. That night it started again about half midnight but extra doses of oromorph did enough. I went to sleep sitting up with my head on a pillow on my table. When I woke up a couple of hours later, the painkillers had kicked in properly and so I could get into bed (on my side still) and slept ok.
Thursday mainly oromorph, The Mighty Boosh and waiting all day for the porter who never comes. Consultant turned up at tea time - always boosts the old optimism (totally illogical cos he gave me The News in the first place but I've decided his is The Reassuring Face haha). He was less than impressed that the scan to find a blood clot had still not taken place but I suppose that since they'd started treating me 'just in case' that took a little of the urgency away as far as the scan team was concerned?!? I dunno...Told me it was booked for 9.20am and that if all was OK I would be losing a tooth or two at 2pm. Busy day. Slept OK
Friday nil by mouth so no brekky for me - apart from the disgusting antifungal syrup I have to take twice a day (itroconazole). Had extra oromorph just to make sure I could lie still on CT scanner bed. Had a shower and because the sun was out and I wasn't in pain, the wig got an airing too (I feel better already - when can I go home?). Went for the scan which was straightforward and asked the nurse if she'd seen anything. She said no but she'd only got a quick look... Back to the ward and then they came to take the stitches out of the Hickman Line (I'd almost forgotten about that). So my neck and chest look almost normal. I will now try again with the bra - the tubes come out right where my strap goes - Jeez does nobody think of these things :D. I'm not sure about pushing my luck with it again so I might persevere with the vests don't think I can fit in a halterneck bra shopping expedition into my busy schedule. I have told the nurse I'll be expecting a boob job at the end of this tho... Lunchtime the doc told me that the scan was clear ie no clots Huzzah! Followed immediately by "Well what is it then?" But I'll pursue that when I go back next week. So I could get my teeth sorted! 2pm came but no porter so I went to find someone and, yes, nobody knew about it blah blah. So I walked with a very nice healthcare assistant who knew the layout about as well as I did! After a few hundred yards in the opposite direction, a porter helped us find the MaxFax department which sounds very glitzy but isn't. It was absolutely deserted. Weird. Very nice doctor took my tooth out as we made gruesome jokes about this and that. I offered to tick the box on the consent form about donating my tooth to medical research but they politely declined. They did put it in a nice envelope for me to put under my pillow for the tooth fairy. Unfortunately, the night shift weren't playing so I'll try at home tonight. So where wednesday was the worst few hours yet, friday was more productive. Couldn't eat til 9pm tho so missed my tea as well. Pete brought me in some cheese and pickle sandwiches -just the job (my latest craving).Did have to persuade the nurse that I didn't need blood thinners tonight cos I don't have a clot - I was right:). Slept on my back for the first time this week.
Saturday waited to go home. Eventually allowed out at 12. Stopped for fish and chips on the way home. Impressed myself by talking a community policeman out of giving us a parking ticket - didn't use the C-word (!) just waffed my name tag and made sure my hickman tubes were on display (oo er missus). He stil went into the chip shop to make sure OH was in there tho but toddled off up the street (should point out that the car park was almost empty and we were only a few minutes). Fire on the moorland with loads of flashing blue lights etc so we had to drive a looong way round to get back but it was sunny and scenic so very nice. Boro won 2-0. Chat with the lads who have a gig tonight and wrote this before I forget it and in case something weird happens and I can't write for a while again...Am off to my lovely bed now to watch some lovely DVDs on my lovely TV with the lovely phone off the hook :D
Sorry it's so long again, not really playing the game am I haha
love and good things
karen
xx
