Tuesday 26 July.
What a strange day, I'm in bed and it is getting close to midnight, I have had radio and 5 hours of chemo.
Chemo ended up being a Monty Python session. My blood picture looked bad as my neutrophils and lymphocytes were low (both needed to fight infection) and there was discussion among the nursing staff in the Infusion suite about what to do. The oncology registrar was AWOL (maybe it was the guy I had a go at?) in the end I was asked what to do, so we had another blood test and this time neuts and lymphs were going back up, so I said I was happy to go on Chemo. Oncology Registrar still AWOL so we went for it. I was happy with that (so were the staff). Tolerated the infusion really well.
I was talking to one of the nursing team about a difficulty getting xylocaine syrup and she said, 'Oh we use to use that but it went out of favour, we have a few bottles, I'll give you one.' (I have some on order but it was great just finding out it works.)
Oh relief!!!!!!! Within minutes my poor throat was pain free. I could swallow without gripping my stress ball, my high energy fruit drink went down like elixir. No need for PEG feeding until the pain ramps up again.
Guess who is going to try sausage and eggs for breakfast? I may not be able to taste them but I can sure swallow them; anyone else eat sausage and egg with maple syrup and tomato sauce? I can just about taste something
I know this will be temporary but I'll take what I can get.
I left in the dark with foul weather moving in, Adelaide has been hit by a series of cold fronts and it is a lot colder than usual. We have had our yearly rainfall several times over already. I contemplated if this would be an easier journey in the heat or in the cold? I decided that curling up in my bed in the cold with a hot water bottle and if available a hot man was far preferable to being flaked out on a sweaty bed under the air conditioner and if available a sweaty man.
Nice part of the day feeling (with TMI). I know many of us carry a tampon or a sanitary pad in case someone needs one. On chemo it is suggested that we may decide to wear pull up disposable diapers as sudden and severe bowel issues can occur. I went to the loo and a woman (in a stall) was in obvious distress (sobbing). Remember it is a cancer unit; people cry. I asked if she was OK and she said she had had an accident and had no clean underwear. I of course (following Dena's wonderful advice) had packed a few spares in my Chemo support bag!!
I made her day in giving her a few pair to see her through.
To be honest, pain relief, tolerating the infusion (so far), and helping someone literally putting up with the ->-bleeped-<- in life, has lifted my spirits even more.
So far so good.
Cindy
