What A Birthday
I'd decided that I'd spread my birthday celebrations out between the friday and the monday (my actual birthday). I'm so glad I did!! On friday I went out for lunch with friends at Chiquitos. I'm glad it was quite dark as my hair had fallen out and I was still struggling to get to grips with headscarves. I haad a good time and as it was Mexican food I could actually taste it as my taste buds were rather inactive!! I had some lovely presents as well so that was an added bonus!! On Saturday, we packed off the children to wonderful friends who looked after them for the weekend and we went off to Dorset for the night. We couldn't find anywhere for lunch and ended up at a garden centre in Cranbourne which was obviously very popular as we got the last table. It was lovely food but I think the toast was the last straw for my mouth which was now becoming sore with mouth ulcers. We got to our B and B in Shaftesbury and then decided to go onto Bath. It was such a cold weekend and we passed snow on the hills and in Shaftesbury itself. The road into Bath had cars parked everywhere so we decided to go to the park and ride. This we eventually found up a hill at the University but was the most appallingly signposted place imaginable. It was not obvious where you could park or where to get the bus. The orange bus drove off as we approached it and then we saw another double decker bus parked in the opposite direction. We headed off for that and yes, you've guessed it that drove off as well. As the sign said every 15 minutes, we sat in the car and waited. Once the next bus arrived it was clear why it was so busy. Bath Rugby Club had played London Wasps and loads of supporters got off the bus. It wasn't clear who had won by the fans though. Eventually we got on the bus and got into Bath where we found a cream tea place and had a lovely cream tea and then a wander around Bath. It was easier to get a bus back to the University and we drove back to Shaftesbury. We thought we would walk into Shaftesbury as the blurb about the B and B said 'a few minutes level walk'. I would dispute the word 'level' and 'few' but never mind. It was a freezing and disappointing walk as we couldn't find anywhere open or looked nice enough to eat so we walked back to the guesthouse. We met the surprised owner who was popping out to the Esso garage for something. He told us about an Italian restaurant there but his directions were lousy. Eventually we found it in a disused Methodist Church. They had one table left!! This table was by the fresh fish counter and Pete who dislikes the thought of eating crustaceans was seated about 3 feet away from a live lobster! This lobster would wriggle about on its metal platter every few minutes until someone decided they would eat it. The food was brilliant even though by this stage I was limited by the mouth ulcers. At least the wine numbed the pain!
We slept well but I was mortified by how much I'd moulted over the pillow during the night so at breakfast I sat with my beret on. We left and drove on to the New Forest where we did a walk on probably the only hill in the New Forest and back home. I was exhausted so had another sleep and then back to our friends for dinner and pick the children up. When we arrived the children totally ignored us - a combination of tiredness from running around in the morning and the Star Wars film!! I struggled through the delicious dinner - yorkshire puddings are not easy to eat with mouth ulcers and even the alcohol didn't numb it this time.
Monday morning and all I could manage was porridge. Today was my birthday and we were supposed to be going to Pizza Hut tonight. I went to work and after about an hour I thought I'd phone the hospital for advice about my mouth. They said I had to go in for a blood test. I got there at 11am and had a blood test after about an hour. I then started to feel quite cold and tired and developed a sore throat and earache. I laid down on the bed for a while. and had a little snooze.Then my temperature went up and the results of my blood test showed I was neutropaenic (no white blood cells). I waited until 5pm to see a doctor who then decided to admit me. What a birthday!! Pete and the children arrived about 5.30pm with my birthday presents and cards. AJ opened my presents and then announced he was hungry so they disappeared off to Burger King in the hospital foyer and I had soup, scrambled egg, jelly and ice cream!!
At 11pm I got some special mouth wash for my ulcers. It was cocaine based and so 2 nurses had to watch me swill it round my mouth and spit it out!! Not exactly what you want but it did numb my mouth.
I had intravenous antibiotics for 16 hours until my vein packed up and then nobody could get another line in so now will have a central line in at some point soon.
I stayed in until wednesday evening and my mouth got back to normal by saturday. The thing is my next taxotere is due this thursday so really have no time to recover fully. I don't think they will give me the full dose this time but hopefully can avoid going weekly. I'm really tired still and although my mouth and ear are better my throat has still got a yellow spot in and is sore. Oh well, will let you know what happens next
I'd decided that I'd spread my birthday celebrations out between the friday and the monday (my actual birthday). I'm so glad I did!! On friday I went out for lunch with friends at Chiquitos. I'm glad it was quite dark as my hair had fallen out and I was still struggling to get to grips with headscarves. I haad a good time and as it was Mexican food I could actually taste it as my taste buds were rather inactive!! I had some lovely presents as well so that was an added bonus!! On Saturday, we packed off the children to wonderful friends who looked after them for the weekend and we went off to Dorset for the night. We couldn't find anywhere for lunch and ended up at a garden centre in Cranbourne which was obviously very popular as we got the last table. It was lovely food but I think the toast was the last straw for my mouth which was now becoming sore with mouth ulcers. We got to our B and B in Shaftesbury and then decided to go onto Bath. It was such a cold weekend and we passed snow on the hills and in Shaftesbury itself. The road into Bath had cars parked everywhere so we decided to go to the park and ride. This we eventually found up a hill at the University but was the most appallingly signposted place imaginable. It was not obvious where you could park or where to get the bus. The orange bus drove off as we approached it and then we saw another double decker bus parked in the opposite direction. We headed off for that and yes, you've guessed it that drove off as well. As the sign said every 15 minutes, we sat in the car and waited. Once the next bus arrived it was clear why it was so busy. Bath Rugby Club had played London Wasps and loads of supporters got off the bus. It wasn't clear who had won by the fans though. Eventually we got on the bus and got into Bath where we found a cream tea place and had a lovely cream tea and then a wander around Bath. It was easier to get a bus back to the University and we drove back to Shaftesbury. We thought we would walk into Shaftesbury as the blurb about the B and B said 'a few minutes level walk'. I would dispute the word 'level' and 'few' but never mind. It was a freezing and disappointing walk as we couldn't find anywhere open or looked nice enough to eat so we walked back to the guesthouse. We met the surprised owner who was popping out to the Esso garage for something. He told us about an Italian restaurant there but his directions were lousy. Eventually we found it in a disused Methodist Church. They had one table left!! This table was by the fresh fish counter and Pete who dislikes the thought of eating crustaceans was seated about 3 feet away from a live lobster! This lobster would wriggle about on its metal platter every few minutes until someone decided they would eat it. The food was brilliant even though by this stage I was limited by the mouth ulcers. At least the wine numbed the pain!
We slept well but I was mortified by how much I'd moulted over the pillow during the night so at breakfast I sat with my beret on. We left and drove on to the New Forest where we did a walk on probably the only hill in the New Forest and back home. I was exhausted so had another sleep and then back to our friends for dinner and pick the children up. When we arrived the children totally ignored us - a combination of tiredness from running around in the morning and the Star Wars film!! I struggled through the delicious dinner - yorkshire puddings are not easy to eat with mouth ulcers and even the alcohol didn't numb it this time.
Monday morning and all I could manage was porridge. Today was my birthday and we were supposed to be going to Pizza Hut tonight. I went to work and after about an hour I thought I'd phone the hospital for advice about my mouth. They said I had to go in for a blood test. I got there at 11am and had a blood test after about an hour. I then started to feel quite cold and tired and developed a sore throat and earache. I laid down on the bed for a while. and had a little snooze.Then my temperature went up and the results of my blood test showed I was neutropaenic (no white blood cells). I waited until 5pm to see a doctor who then decided to admit me. What a birthday!! Pete and the children arrived about 5.30pm with my birthday presents and cards. AJ opened my presents and then announced he was hungry so they disappeared off to Burger King in the hospital foyer and I had soup, scrambled egg, jelly and ice cream!!
At 11pm I got some special mouth wash for my ulcers. It was cocaine based and so 2 nurses had to watch me swill it round my mouth and spit it out!! Not exactly what you want but it did numb my mouth.
I had intravenous antibiotics for 16 hours until my vein packed up and then nobody could get another line in so now will have a central line in at some point soon.
I stayed in until wednesday evening and my mouth got back to normal by saturday. The thing is my next taxotere is due this thursday so really have no time to recover fully. I don't think they will give me the full dose this time but hopefully can avoid going weekly. I'm really tired still and although my mouth and ear are better my throat has still got a yellow spot in and is sore. Oh well, will let you know what happens next
posted by dippykate @ 4:13 PM
1 Comments:
At 2:09 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Quite how anyone feeling so awful can still be such good company, and write so entertainingly aboutwhat must be actually dreadful to go through, I don't know - Cheers - xxxx
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