And so it begins.

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Two hours to go. At 8am I have five tablets to take, then an hour later, at 9am, the regimen begins, the first session in a six month period.

In hindsight it's been a bit unreal. I was rushed into the Bronglais Hospital A&E, Aberystwyth on Monday, 8th April 2024 with excruciating abdominal pain, and on Thursday 11th April, a large tumour was removed from my colon. My grandchildren believed that my scarring was the result of an encounter with a great white shark, declaring that it was really cool!

It's in my nature not to worry, although the skin around the PICC line is really inflamed and hurts like mad, (sensitive skin reacting to the dressing) . I've read the literature but now I'm finding that I'm asking questions. Hair loss? Nausea and loose bowels? A reaction to temperature? Who knows. It's pointless speculating, But wish me well everybody.

Rhodri from Aberystwyth

TheWelshman 4 months ago

Bother, bother and bother!

Me again. I'm in the Tenovus Unit at Bronglais Hospital, Aberystwyth. They can't proceed with the treatment as the wound from the operation hasn't completely healed, showing a slight hole. Treatment would make things much worse, apparently.

Rhodri,

(Frustrated and not a happy chappy in Aberystwyth)

Kareno62 4 months ago

TheWelshman Hi Rhodri and a warm welcome to the board. Oh how annoying that you were all psyched up and ready to go to then have this happen. Have they said what the next move is then? If you let us know which chemo you’ll be having then we might be able to link you into some helpful posts or offer some advice? Hopefully they’ll be able to sort out the PICC line inflammation as it’s so much easier than an iv direct into the vein.

Hopefully the delay in your treatment won’t be for too long

Take care

Karen x

Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

TheWelshman 4 months ago in reply to Kareno62

Well...who'd have thought! The nurse at the unit took one look at the PICC line & dressing. She immediately asked if I was allergic to nickel, whereupon I gave her a blank look and wondered how on earth would I know! The PICC line has to small barbed nickel wires that are pushed under the skin, evil looking things. That line won't budge in six months. She said that she would remove them immediately, replacing the PICC top with a plastic equivalent. The dressing had fussed to the inflamed skin, but the removal of the nickel barbs...I almost passed out. But by the evening there was a huge difference, incredible.

While I was at the unit, Oncology rang to make an appointment with a specialist, not knowing that I was on site. I went straight over and the doctor cauterized the infected areas in my wound from the operation with silver nitrate. I'm to see her twice more before my next re-scheduled first session. So fingers and toes crossed.

I apologise if I'm going on a bit, but it's so good to be able to actually talk to someone out there.

Rhodri, in anticipation of meeting others with problems.