Morning all, we have a dusting of snow today, looks lovely although it's only 1*
After the initial shock of my brother's diagnosis and the disappointment of my last scans showing disease progression in the brain & liver tumours things have settled down.
My brother is having 4 cycles of aggressive chemo and then a break and repeat PET scan to see if he's stable enough to be offered surgery which he's been told is his only chance of survival. Nothing's definite till it's definite as he's also in a tier 4 area and the hospital is stretched to the limit.
I started my 5th line of chemo, oral Capecitabine, to try and slow things down. The 1st cycle was ok but I had problems straight away with the 2nd cycle. Half way through & having only managed a little over half the dose I rang the chemo nurses and was told to stop taking it. I had constant nausea, a day of vomiting despite medication, mouth ulcers, palmer/plantar syndrome, so bleeding finger tips and painful feet like walking on broken glass. I was alternating between no sleep at all to 14 hours one night and could not get warm.
I've heard oral chemo referred to as "chemo light" but that certainly hasn't been my experience. Norberry if I wasn't such a lady I would swear!!
I'm seeing my Consultant on Thurs and have no idea where we go from here, or even if there's anything left to offer. I could have stronger medication to manage the side effects, perhaps steroids, but that medication has it's own side effects....
On a positive note my hair, eyelashes and eyebrows are growing back and we've got the pain management under control 
xx
Hi Tinalay
Wonderful news dear Tinalay. Now as you say, the pressure's off and you can rest easy, I know you're not out of the woods yet but there's a glimmer of light. I'm so very relieved also because it's great to sense a friend is clearly upbeat now, thanks to seeing a consultant who has sprinkled his magic dust of positivity.
Later today I will find out my latest blood picture, I'll be waiting nervously for a phone call between 10 and 12 this morning. Fingers crossed. My wife was sent home from school where she is a classroom assistant because she broke down. Before she went, she was crying because she knows she's at risk of bringing the virus home to me and didn't want to go. Her head knows about me, I've met him several times when I've helped in the eco and gardening club after school activities. It's a pleasure to pass on some of my knowledge to young children who have an enthusiasm for learning otherwise they wouldn't be there.
You'll be wakening this morning after hopefully having a peaceful night's sleep, realising that you weren't dreaming, it really happened 
Tvman xx
