Tuesday - I decided we needed to get help for AJ as he is so unhappy and a lot of it is to do with his continuing constipation problem so will ask about the children's psychiatric unit as they had offered him a place 6 months after I was diagnosed so we turned it down. I saw the GP who said he would fax a referral off.
At least now he has a red card which means he can just show this to a teacher and they must allow him to the toilet.
I went to the hospice for the dinner and the craft bit which was enjoyable.
In the evening, we went to the local Beefeater. No delays this time which was quite disappointing really after all the wait and deductions of the bill last time.
Wednesday - my birthday!! Had to get up early to be at radiotherapy for 9am. I had 2 appointments on 2 different machines and it was the poor receptionists 3rd day so she didn't know where I should sit! Anyway, they found me alright and i had to keep still for 15 mins sitting upright whilst they blasted my shoulder blade.
Quick dash home to collect Woody whose glasses had been bent out of recognition with 2 separate collisions. I took him out of school at break and went to the opticians and got him back again to school only 3 mins after the break finished!! As I was just about to drive off, my mobile rang and it was one of those silent calls and then somewone misprouncing your name!! I was just about to ask where this call was from when he introduced himself as the consultant and he wanted to see AJ on friday morning so was rather glad I'd kept my mouth shut. He seemed very nice and said he thought in our circumstances it was probably best to stick to treatment on the ward rather than the harsh regime of the psychiatric unit.
Then off to lunch with friends and work colleagues at the Pasta place. It was lovely and I got a lot of lovely pressies. In the afternoon, I met my sister-in-law for a quick shop and tea and cakes etc. After that I definately needed a sleep. Later on, Hubby's parents came round with more pressies and I opened the pressies from my family as well.
Seems odd and disturbing to think this was probably my last birthday and feel we should have celebrated it in a different way somehow but probably best for the children that it was a 'normal' birthday.
Thursday - up early again as chemo this time. I saw the consultant in the corridor who said my bloods were normal and so I saw the nurse as a matter of correctness really. It was a horrible windy day and I'd phoned my sistewr when i had arrived at the hospital carpark to say don't bother as the driving conditions were appallling but as she had already crossed the Dartford Crossing she continued. In the time it took her to drive 120 miles, I saw the nurse and waited for phamacy to make up 4 lots of drugs for me!!. I was just going into the treatment room when my sister and oldest daughter arrived. They had kindly bough me a big cup of tea ansd chocolate so I was happy. As I now have this long line, it meant the nurses could run in the drugs a bit quicker. It made me feel sick and I went to sleep!!
At the end of the treatment, we came home and I went to bed after opening more pressies and they dusted and hoovered and generally cleared up for my drinks party in the evening. At this point, I felt like cancelling it as I felt like I had flu and felt so sick. I took a steroid and more anti-sickness tablets and went to bed.
When I woke up I felt a little better and Woody did a wondeful job of helping me lay the table and getting glasses and plates etc out and putting things in bowls and in the oven. In the end I had a lovely time and even more pressies!!! Thank you so much for helping to clear up the mess and fill the dishwasher!!!
Friday morning, I got woken up by the phone ringing at 645am and I couldn't get to sleep afterwards. I still felt awful and texted another friend who had volunteered to help tidy up in the morning. She came round and tidied up and put the washing out for me. Then I got dressed and got the fright of my life. My whole left arm, all my chest and back was bright red and there was green gunge coming out of my long line. She took me to hospitaal with AJ for his appointmnet as I wasn't sure whether I would be admitted or not. We saw the lovely consultant and male irish nurse who was brilliant with AJ. He will go into hospital on the 11th February and Dad will have to stay because of my low blood counts but it sounds as if he can get out and about and won't be in hospital all the time. Will have to get mum to come down to stay as don't think I can manage a week on my own.
Then we went off to see an oncologist in clinic. She thought it was an allergic reaction between the chemo and the radiotherapy. Once the dressing had been removed, no more pus was coming out of my long line but she still gave me antibiotics qhich I will take if I feel ill but otherwise I won't as I've had so many recently. She also took a blood test so AJ and I had to wait an hour for the results so spent the time in burger King at the hospial. My blood tests were OK so came home by taxi - £12 - what an expense!!! Spent the afternoon in bed eventually.
Saturday, I had to be up reasonably early as my friend was coming down from Derbyshire to see me and her elderly uncle. it was wonderful to see her and she gave me some photos to keep. Then one of my friends came round as she had been unable to make any of the other celebrations so more pressies!!
Went back to bed and went to bed early as felt so rough and cold. Hope I feel better tomorrow. Feel very guilty as I'd promised Woody I would do some cooking with him but fdelt too poorly and the kitchen is freezing so we just snuggled in bed instead.
I feel so rough at the moment - I thought I would be happy to be alive and to be able to sit with the children even if I didn't have much energy to do things with them. At the moment, I feel such a nuisance with everyone having to run after me as I don't have the energy to do anything and keep letting the children down by not doing things with them when I said I would and just sleeping so much. This feels like an existence rather than a life but then have rather overdone it this week so that's probably why I feel so low at the moment as when I reread what i've done, I've been busy and done things but it has been such an effort. Hope I cheer up soon as I can't be good company at the present time.