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Tuesday 20 October 2009. The day I was told I had cancer. The day I stepped on the rollercoaster for the most difficult and draining ride of my life.
I didn't have many symptoms that alerted me to having a serious health problem and to be honest, they could have been easily missed had I been a less diligent person. I was lucky to have a fabulous G.P. who referred me to a Gynaecologist and few weeks later I was having a biopsy. At this point I still didn't think I had cancer; I had my smear two...
January was meant to be my recovery-from-surgery time, as well as my getting-strong-for-radiotherapy time, but seeing as I am so damn difficult, I couldn’t do that could I? I woke up on January 1st after an alcohol-free day before, feeling like I had a hangover. I felt awful and spent most of the day in bed. I was feeling so bad (I had a temp of almost 40oC and a heart rate of over 130bpm) that I called the doctor out the next day, who said it was gastric ‘flu so I just needed to rest etc...
what a day yesterday! the phone didnt stop!!! first it was the social worker anne! then the lung cancer specialist from bolton christine! then it was the district nurse audrey(my fav one) but she had been out that morning and was ringing to check we were ok? then tims mum rang, then, our friends rang, im more tired from answering the phone than looking after tim...lol, but its nice that everyone cares and checks up on us, still not got any L plates, tims asleep and im just ploding about trying not...
Sal had a good night. First, last evening a doc came and took blood and fitted a cannula in Sal's right hand. This is the side of her op and so shouldn't really be used for needles but Sal just couldn't face another try on the left so they decided it was worth the risk. This all went fine. So she has a working cannula again but it cannot be used for saline but as she can now keep water down the saline isn't needed.
The spin off from that is without the constant saline she isn't needing...
Whoops, got a little busy this last week or so and my idea of updating this blog on a regular basis seems to have gone by the wayside! I am still at work and still having a fairly normal lifestyle at the moment. I have heard a couple of mutterings about it getting harder and more tiring after the third treatment but we'll see. That's next Thursday so I'll get on with the bank holiday weekend and worry about it next week! Worst thing this time round really has been the onset of the infamous...
Now her cannula has failed and Sal cannot face them trying to get another in. She is in SO much pain when they try and it is REALLY wearing her down.
After a lot of shouting (well, virtual shouting, I didn't actually raise my voice!) they have agreed to install a Hickman on Tuesday. In the meantime she needs the meds and so they are going to put a cannula into her right arm... the side of the ANC. The oncologist said there is a risk but when needs must.
So, she has to last 3 days with this cannula...
Well, nothing has changed much in herself... still can't take food and still has bad runs (antibiotics) but the good news is that her neutraphils and white counts are up slightly... well they couldn't go down! So this is the first sign that things are starting to pickup.
They tried to get some blood from her this afternoon but it was so painful and unsuccessful. So they are taking it tomorrow somehow. A Hickman or Portacath is absolutely essential as soon a they can fit it IMO. Sal agrees...
….and Fairy Godmothers. Everyone needs a Fairy Godmother. I’ve got a special one and I’m not sharing because she also has hidden talents. Not only is she completely loopy, absolutely hilarious in her observations on life and the most naturally caring individual you could know, she can ….wait for it…..cannulate! Having weekly chemotherapy means a twice weekly prodding of the veins. Once for a blood test and once to have a cannula inserted for the “Red Devils...
Hi everyone! This is my first blog and I have to say how relieved I am to have found this site. The things I have read so far in the forums and blog posts have been incredible. It feels like I have found what I think is an invaluable source of strength and support. Everything still feels very surreal for me at the moment and i have read some very comforting blogs. Thanks to u all xxx
Sal is now neutropenic septic... no neutrophis with infection. Her temperature is up so they have put her on barrier nursing. Everyone visiting have to wear gown and mask. Coupled to that she can't keep anything down, not even water at the moment. She enjoyed sucking crushed ice for a while but they stopped that as she might cut her mouth.
So things are not improving. She had a bad night with vomiting and the runs and then her cannula failed. She has bad veins at the best of times and the nurse...
