This week started as a much less eventful one that the preceding ‘hospital flavoured’ week and it was a very nice change to have a whole week at home, getting back to normal, or sorts.
One nice highlight on Tuesday evening, was the chance to finally meet up with Emma and Kim, two former work colleagues from HX, who have remained in touch. Sandra and I met with them to have a nice meal and great catch up to discuss our current situations and make some plans for the autumn / post-chemo timeframe. A bit of normality is always welcomed, alongside getting to hear about other people’s lives, instead of the constant reminders of my situation.
Pre-chemo blood checks took place on Wednesday and involved a lengthy chat with the nurse about the past week in hospital and the general situation overall. One key addition for chemo session No. 5 and No. 6 will be a 5-day course of the Nivestim solution (0.5ml), which I will self inject each evening. That is the same solution they began to add in the hospital and its purpose is to ensure the generation of the Neutrophils and hopefully help me fight against the side effects of the chemo and ensure I reduce or eradicate my time in hospital, as this first 6-session chemo phase draws near its end. It certainly worked quickly, once administered in hospital and I am hoping it has the intended positive effect on my body in its current battle.
Following on from that was chemo session No. 5 on Friday, which went ahead as normal, albeit late and not overly efficient during the infusion. These may seem like small points, but when in them, they are not. The sessions are physically uncomfortable and personally, I count down the minutes and different steps, until I know that they are about to remove the cannula and I know I am ‘free to go’; to have unnecessary delays elongates the situation and some of them could have been avoided if they had focused on connecting what they needed to and let each phase run through, then had their conversations, instead of the other way around…..
With that session No. 5 done and the reintroduction of the various pre and post-chemo meds, then the return of the oral steroids and chemo meds, stopped due to the antibiotics I received in hospital, was a rapid reminder of what effects they have on your body. The appetite begun to be impacted on Saturday, but by Sunday, it was in full swing. I had to fight my way through the main meal on Sunday evening, managing less than half of that. The emotional battle to make it that far was an unwelcome reminder of what took place a couple of weeks back. The other really noticeable side effect was the ‘gyroscope’ being very much out of sync. I began to do some tasks outside on Sunday morning, but after 1 hour, I had to stop. After going back indoors, I then had to close my eyes for around 90 minutes, not sleeping for all of that, but resting. That is by far the most impactful version of that side effect I have suffered to date and I hope it passes soon.
The most ‘positive’ element of this week was the fact that chemo session No. 5 went ahead, as psychologically, it moves me closer to the end of this significant key stage of the 6 chemo sessions, designed to try to contain the spread of the cancer, whilst possibly extending my remaining timeline, but we’ll see how that develops once the chemo is finished and they run more scans, etc.
To finish off now, a variable week, but a move in the right direction.
Although Sandra would like to add her answer and insights to my posed question from a few weeks ago, this continues to be a ‘work in progress’ and something she is piecing together bit by bit; it is proving very hard for her to write down what she needs to, so bear with and hopefully we can add that insight in the not too distant future; I have, of course, clearly stated that it is not obligatory for her to do this, just an offer.
Thanks for continuing to take the time and interest in reading this, I appreciate your time and commentary.