Nov 26, almost half baked

I have settled into a routine with radiotherapy, now done 11 of 28 sessions. I walk to the hospital (20 minutes each way, so manage to do at least some of my daily exercise quota), don a mask upon arrival, descend into the bowels of the hospital, the reception knows me by sight now, wait to get called in - which is usually quite quick - lie on the uncomfortable trolley, wiggle up, wiggle down, wiggle left, till I get aligned - they use light beams to get my position right. Its a bit like being stretched out on a rack, I can't get over the medieval analogy, but at least no one is throwing things at me. Oh wait, they're throwing radiation. Anyway, I have to lie absolutely still for 3 rotations of the machine, the first is a CT scan to fine tune alignment, then the wings spread out (see pic from previous post) the bed elevates so I cant jump off, and two more rotations while the machine zaps me. I imagine being in a solarium, its not that much different really. All done, I can move again. Takes about 10-15 minutes. And it only costs me 50 bucks (out of pocket) per session, well worth it I think. I can certainly think of a lot worse things to spend 50 bucks on (ha ha see later)

Apart from throwing up the first time, I haven't had any issues. I take odansetron (anti nauseant) an hour beforehand and life is good. My energy is better, my pain is better, my digestion is better, my fatigue is better. Maybe I should go back to work? LOL. I really do wonder if all those symptoms I was attributing to the cancer were actually due to the chemotherapy. I suppose we shall see in time. For now I'm just counting my blessings.

I decided I should celebrate Christmas this year. Realistically, it may be my last one so why be a gringe? Anyway, I bought a tree via mail order, arrived today, oh dear, it wasnt quite what the pictures showed, (yes I was ripped off, never mind, interesting what becomes unimportant when you know you are dying, scammers gotta make a living too I suppose. But clearly, I should have gone to Kmart like a normal person) 

I did my best to decorate it. Overall not too bad I think. I will spend the next few days decorating the house to make it a little bit more ...festive. Ho Ho Ho.

Nice earrings Doedre

Nov 11, so this is radiotherapy

Let's first acknowledge that today is Armistice Day, marking the end of WW1, one of humanity's darker moments....

After the hospital admission, I suppose today was an anti-climax. Beautiful spring day, I walked to the hospital, down into the depths of the basement to find this fellow waiting for me:

Well at least it ain't a barrel!

That's the headrest on the trolley, I raise my hands to hold onto those handle bars, get cosy with the machine, and it spins round me zapping away. It's quite neat, and incorporates a low-res CT scanner so they can get the beam position right. It is in the side flaps which open and close like wings. I suppose we aren't worried about cumulative radiation any more. LOL. And I have to keep absolutely still so no finger painting after all...What I did imagine was those street art performers who paint themselves silver and pretend they are statues. With that thought, I did my best to emulate their feats.

The whole process took less than half an hour, after which I walked to my folks place who had prepared lunch. Unfortunately nausea hit at the same time as food, resulting in me running to the sink and bringing up part of the day's takings. A slight dampener at the dinner table... It's a weird feeling, nausea and vomiting while still feeling hungry. Is that what pregnancy is like?  Maybe I'll go cash that anti-nauseant script for next time. 

Looks like this is going to be my routine every weekday until almost Christmas. Yikes.

That's today's news. I suppose I'll update next when there's something to report?

Cheers everyone.

Nov 05 Cup Day

Cup Eve, crescent moon from the ward

Cup Day, sunset 

So, 2nd day in hospital. This was a little unexpected. And boring. I mean there's only so much of Dessert Masters and Trump campaigning I can watch right? Thankfully I've had a procession of friends and relatives tear themselves from the races and come sit by my bedside. Ok, majority relatives, and not a one gives a flying cartwheeling rat about the pissy stupid races.

Hang on, I'm here for a reason right? Not just to lounge on a bed and flash my undies at some poor stranger whenever I move. Silly me. Well, on that front, I keep spiking fevers above 38.2, despite the IV antibiotics, one last night, one today, so had more blood cultures (apparently nothing incubated so far) On the bright side my blood tests are improving but not normal. For the moment the plan is to monitor to see how I settle down. Oh to live such a life of leisure, waited on hand and foot, meals provided, room cleaned for you, washing done, (oh hang on, I've just described a huge proportion of Greek boys from the 70's, nothing to see here, move right along). Not sure where I was going with that...Anyway, if only it didn't involve being jabbed with a needle so many bloody times....

Nov 03, complications

Oh well I'm in hospital again. Friday (2 days ago) I became nauseated, with some upper abdominal pain, loss of appetite and the bowel stopped working, no wind. This was very similar to but milder than the episode of pancreatitis I had last year. So I decided I would self manage, put myself to bed, sucked the occasional ice cube, in the hope it would settle down. And over the weekend it sort of did. Let's not mention I didn't eat for 2 days, just fluids, so very tired and sluggish but my appetite was coming back. What I couldn't figure out was why I was febrile despite feeling better and why my fever was getting worse, just under 39 this afternoon. So I bit the bullet and trundled off to ED, as this wasn't making sense. 

So I've had a septic workup, including blood cultures, chest x-ray, CT scan. My urine was...brown. I'm sure it's never been that colour before...Turns out my liver function was right off, looks like the tumour is trying to block my bile duct and I have ascending cholangitis. Lovely. The brown was the high bilirubin. So I've had intravenous antibiotics and intravenous rehydration, staying overnight and we work out a plan tomorrow (well it is Sunday night) Here was I looking forward to starting radiotherapy on Wednesday, may not be happening after all...

(Early Monday morning update) I found a pull out tray under the hospital trolley this morning. What a good idea, I can do my makeup now! Which I might need, because...

I am beginning to look a little worse for wear...

Monday update, the covering oncologist has been, looks like I will spend a few days here, for intravenous antibiotics. Suspected cholangitis. Well, this is going to be my first Cup Day in hospital, I hope I remember to actually watch the damn thing. A project for tomorrow, see if I can find a gambling outlet in a Catholic hospital. Hmmmm...

I'll have some more blood tests tomorrow, to see if things improving. The CT last night apparently didn't show anything dramatic apart from a growing tumour causing pressure. It seems to me it's growing rather fast, I am beginning to wonder if I'll see Christmas after all...