Post 537: Curry dinner after a great day at work.
There’s not much you can do in a day at work that’s as long as mine; two hours l, it’s not long enough to do anything…
But today I found myself at the end of the first big project since getting back to work after chemo knocked me out, for so long.
Not only did I finish the digitising of a huge folder of hand written data but I had already had a word about what comes next and so I could immediately continue with new work, no sitting around twiddling my thumbs. But to get the new work I needed to get it from over the road in the other factory, the main HQ.
This is where for the second day running my capable but windy work colleague (and supervisor) Alex, stepped up without a murmur.
I mention this because where would we be without help sometimes, but this help being so easily available to me is a real godsend.
Yesterday while I was topping up my glass of water from the cold water system just outside the office we shelter in from all the pump building and noise in the factory an open door away, Alex independently and spontaneously started asking me not there was anything he could do to make my life more comfortable at my work desk?
At the time I thought no more about it but when I got home I realised the kindness in his actions, which deserved noting. It was a little after dinner that I thought, I mustn’t let this pass without a mention and due to monthly meetings having an opportunity for anyone in the workforce to volunteer anyone for an honourable mention, I emailed HR to ask them to add Alex’s name to the next meeting for a little praise from me.
I felt good about this little payback where I’ve been grateful for something genuinely done that could have really helped but was a kind gesture even if, at this time, I’m not needy.
Thanks Alex.
Other than that the two hours went by very quickly and this being the end of the week for me due to the drs appointment tomorrow at the Hospice, I said my goodbyes after annoying two hours where I got stuff done and feel like I’ve helped the company, in turn, making me feel useful and my time not wasted. Hurrah!
The gift for me, when I got home was a lovey smelling chicken curry when I got home from work. I could smell it as soon as walking through the door so my appetite was triggered immediately I walked in for a little hug and bigger kiss for my Darling.
The food was a delight and the lemon yoghurt after just the ticket to cleanse the palette. Yummy.
While watching tv, in particular a KDrama called Marry my wife, things were getting complicated (on screen) but the story was enough to keep anyone amused and entertained. We were.
The time whistles away when you’re engrossed in something and this tv drama was it, very interesting, and the three hour long episodes ate up the evening until I gave the remote to my Darling and said goodnight to head upstairs to bed, after a little snuggle and peck on the lips, avoiding any back crush which would kill me at the moment.
Why am I getting the back pain so much lately?
This is the more asked question from my lips these last weeks and I have no answer.
But, the simple fact is that wear and tear is a culprit that stands out with…cancer.
While I’m getting changed for bed and applying special tattoo moisturising cream to them, all three, I’m thinking on this conundrum. Not only why but is there anything I can do?
Well there’s nothing I can do to help manage it but to avoid hurting it more whilst I rest it.
The thing is I need to know if I could have seen this coming? Could I have prevented worsening pain on my back by knowing my limitations better.
But I ask few questions when in clinic and the last cancer clinic was no exception, and was without my younger son G who might have asked to see the bone scan in more detail, considering that was all we could go on.
So I’m thinking now, how can I get to see this latest gauge on how ruthless not this cancer is. But that is a horny, much vexed question.
So I looked up online what I knew to be one way of asking for the information.
Now before you ask, why can’t you ask your oncology team? I have memories of asking them before leading to a quick and complicated explanation about who I could ask because my oncologist can’t help me easily. Permissions have to be allowed and criteria met before anything is divulged by the NHS, with good reason.
But it means that I have to go down the correct route and this route only.
The sad and frustrating thing about asking for this bone-scan information about my back is that I’ve had the scans in four different places in the widespread Healthcare Area.
This means four of the same questions going to four different locations where the radiology departments each will decide if there’s anything to give me in the way of charts, reports or scans in the time mentioned online, one to three months.
Bum!
I’m not daunted by the process as it’s just a process I have to follow, but will take up time to get to the bottom of it.
Maybe I’ll notify my intentions to my cancer care nurse and see what she has to say, if anything. At least she’s on my side.
So that’s my next priority, in this return to being my very own special advocate. I will have to swap hats to get this underway but if I start tomorrow, I’ll be nearer to getting an explanation for my back aches if they are caused by the cancer’s progression.
So here goes nothing; as they say.
But first the “land-girl” nurse - that will be my sounding board. Wish me luck.
Once I’ve sent those emails I’m free of the urge to know more. Whether or not the data will help me going forward to be more settled as a patient I don’t know, but there’s a real chance they can.
Advocacy, last year was a strength I had to further the niggles I had in confusion and complaint. Even if that eventually failed to reach the conclusion I hoped. At least it was out of my system and no longer a nagging pain in my head.
I will tell you, my bloggers when I’ve written this email and how later, it receives any replies.
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for your replies.
Thanks for being there on my ever changing prostate cancer world we live in.
I’m trying to live my best life but struggle to know how far I can push the envelope. Good night.
Take care.
PS
The Oramorph is numbing the pain and is a staple for my daily dosing now.
I’m hoping the Dr today (Dr M) finds me helpful in my quest for healing and find a way towards less hurting.
Bless you all.
