Date

Treatment Blog - February 09

03.03.09

Chemotherapy starts at 8am a 12 hour session. I’ll do the log for this day on Wednesday assuming I’m up and about but just let me add this in here now. There are 200 types of cancer and 50 Chemotherapy drugs and everyone is different. I’m no bookmaker and can’t perm that one out but all I’m saying is what I write here is to do with me and my circumstances and although its possible other sufferers will have similar experiences they won’t be the same.

27.02.09

Spent the last couple of days out in the garden. I think I’m subconsciously trying to do all the jobs I’m assuming I won’t be able to do in a few weeks time. A bit silly really as nothing much is growing yet but managed to clear up and paint the fence.

I had a nice long email from David Finn who some of my colleagues might know. I won’t go into detail as it was emailed to me, although anything on the comments page can be discussed openly. Just to say that David also had Oesophageal cancer and is now 13 years clear of it, I aim to meet up with him in a few weeks time for a coffee and a chat. My skin is like a baby’s bum from drinking the 2 litres of filtered water each day, highly recommended for anyone at anytime. Later I’ll be studying the restructure document for  work to see where I fit in or whether it looks like I’ll be redundant. I have five copies to choose from - thanks guys but I’ll read the one from Fiona ‘coz it had kisses on it!

25.02.09

Lydia asked me a couple of things today, make a ‘shout out’ page which I had translated into the comments page which is now working and create an nfo card she can gve to her friends which I’ve also done..

The waiting is the worst part of all. Dave H is in Scotland on Tuesday so Jane’s Dad Keith is taking me at 7am then Jane has it all regimented as to who does what, where the kids are etc. Our friend Allison and her husband Ian, famous from the telly you know - Bricklayers - have given me some classic bike magazines to take with me

24.02.09

Saw my GP this morning and was given a sick note for work for thee months starting today. I went shopping for some bits, Corsodyl mouthwash to keep the mouth ulcers at bay and some hand cream to stop the ends of my fingers cracking, the sort those Norwegian fishermen use, a digital thermometer as I have to take my temperature every day, if it goes over 38 degrees then I have to call the cancer unit, related to that I have to try and not take paracetamol as it can mask changes in temperature but at the moment I’ve got terrible backache so I’ll ask about something for that next week. Disappointingly I lost a bit more weight last week, now down to exactly 11 stone, a total loss since 21 Oct 08 of 36 lbs - must try harder to not drop any more!

I must add this line from an email I got yesterday from Tom McQuiggan who I mention on the ‘Thanks to’ page.

Listen John, if you and Jane (and the kids) fancy a weekend at the caravan, let me know mate and we can sort out a date. Might do you good to get away and chill.

Do me a favour and have a look at his site via the ‘caravan’ link - as I’ve said, I’ve never even met him.

23.02.09

‘New Patient’ appointment at 2pm City Hospital. Apart from spending the afternoon with Jane there was nothing much else that came from today. More talks from the Chemotherapy Nurse on the possible side effects and how to combat them. I can get the anti sickness treatment in soluble form but the actual Chemotherapy drugs I have to take while at home are tablets about the size of a 10p coin so I’ll have to crush them up to be able to get them down. Jane’s not allowed to even touch them as they are toxic!

Blood samples taken again to measure the level of Neutrophils, the white cells that make up the immune system. If those levels are OK and they should be then all can go ahead next Tuesday. I’ve been taking 500mg of vitamin C and 60ml of Aloe Vera Gel each day to beef up those little white buggers! Also drinking 2 litres of water a day as well as all the tea, coffee, Guinness etc as the liver & kidneys need to be on top form too.

Dan rang this morning, then my boss to tell me the contents of the ’redundancy letter’. Yes my job has been identified as ’at risk’ but until it becomes clear in a couple of weeks time I’m not overly concerned. All my staff have had a similar letter so I assume the mood is a little subdued but they are all professionals and will no doubt, like me, just get on with it until something more definite is on the table - then go and hunt for Jon Collins!

21.02.09

Picture

Drinks in the Bulls Head with Helen, Andy, Darren, Lynne, Dave & Emma and Mick & Marie and Mick’s twin Paul who I hadn’t seen in ages. Good to have a bit of a blow out and Jane won £32 on some card quiz so that was handy!

Home at 11pm to let the babysitters (the in-laws) get home.

17.02.09

Visit from the Macmillan Community Nurse, arranged through the GP . She rang to say she was running late then rang again saying ‘I’m knocking on your door can you let me in’. Well I would have but she was at the front door of the house we lived in about 12 years ago.

But we had a good long chat with her and she mentioned some alternative therapies that might be useful during treatment such as Reiki or massage. In this area at least, you get 6 sessions free so I might take her up on that. There is also financial advice if you need it. Her name is Claire, she’ll drop by in a couple of weeks from now to check up on how we are all doing.