Back to A&E again! 24th September 2010

Friday is one of my normal abscess packing days.So when I woke in the early hours of Friday morning with some very scary chest and back pain, I thought I'd just hang on and tell the nurses at The Nightingale about them and take their advice. They are,essentially my day 16 pains but 10 times worse. I have the abscess packed in between the pain spasms and Evelyn, my breast care nurse, is sent for. She insists I phone The Christie hotline ( who will tell me to go straight to A&E). I explain the problem, and they tell me to go to A&E. Evelyn tries to persuade me to go in a wheelchair...I politely explain that I am not an invalid and the fresh air will do me good. At the A&E, I am seen straight away and sent to resus. Not because I need resuscitating, but because they are the only beds. They give me a gown and do an ECG. ( which we know will be fine) The nurse comes back 10 minutes later and says its fine. They won't let me go home until I have seen a doctor though. (I am desperately trying to get home before they start mentioning needles) I also need a chest and back Xray. Em is desperately wanting it to turn into an episode of Casualty with people rushing around asking for a crash trolley and shouting "Clear". It doesn't, fortunately for everyone being treated! After an eternity, Emz starts to "starve" and has a need for McDonalds. From my last visit to Wythenshawe A&E, i know they allow food to be brought in, so I pack Emz and Mikey off to McD's with an order for a double cheeseburger for me. The doctor decides to start me off on some painkillers to see how we go. If they don't kick in soon, they will give me something stronger. The x ray is fine and we are still not talking about needles, but I just know we will be soon!!.

Yes, I was right!! The doctor had spoken to Christies and they said my blood count had to be checked....damn!! First shot......no, no blood from that one. Second shot , right next to my knuckle....success!! Except now, it won't stop bleeding. ( see pic of purple fingers!!) so she has to tie a tourniquet to stop it. Talk about a famine or a feast!

Mikey and Emz returned, fed and watered but it looks like I am there for at least another 2 hours, until bloods are back. Sent them home for a while. No point in all 3 of us sitting around bored. The painkillers are helping a bit. They still won't let me go home though. They do need my cubicle though, so I am moved to CDU to wait for results. About 3 hours later, results arrive. My blood count is great. Apparently, Christie's explained to the doctor that the pain was caused by the daily injections. They are given to boost the immune system, which means that the bone marrow is working flat out and becomes inflamed and swells, causing pain in the bones ( usually the sternum and spine and femur). They really should tell you this kind of stuff in advance. Next month I will just dose up with co codamol and curl up somewhere til it passes.

By Saturday, the pain had almost completely gone, so we went up to Southport to watch footie with my dad. ( Well, Mikey did. I went to see Tiny's pups. See pic. Sooo cute)

Sunday was an open day at Wythenshawe Hospital, so Em and I went to help on the Genesis stall. It's strange. The last time I had my Genesis shirt on was the day I found my lump...June 6th. So much has happened since then and there is still so much more to come, but in a few months time, I will be able to start making plans again and looking to the future instead of not being able to see beyond my next chemo day.I am hoping next chemo will be better. This one has been a toughie. I feel sick pretty much most of the time and the painful bits seem to have amplified many fold and I am running out of usable veins!!

Still, off for a nice couple of days away next weekend with family. Karaoke, bingo, beer and Blackpool Illuminations...come on...it doesn't get much better than that!!

Til next time..........KEEP CHECKING!!!! XX

Chemo Day 3. 16th Sept 2010

Not been blogging for a while. Basically because there hasn't been much to report on. The abscess is still being packed twice a week and is down to 1cm deep. The nurse reckons about 2 or 3 more weeks of bi-weekly packing should do it. Should be nicely healed just in time for them to cut it open again..hhmmm. Oh, had a bit of a worry last week. I found another lump, same breast. Didn't want to make a song and dance about it ( think I'm putting my folks through enough stress at the mo, without any more) the hospital did a scan, just to be on the safe side. I must admit, I wasn't too worried about it. The chemo is supposed to kill any rogue cells off and certainly shouldn't allow anything to grow!! The nurse was just worried it may be a new abscess. Anyway, scan showed some fluid build up but nothing needing to be drained and no solid mass at all...so that was good. I haven't felt sick at all and my hair has fallen out a bit more. Actually, on that subject.....as far as I am concerned,( apart from the obvious, that is, blitzing my whole body to kill off any cells that may have wandered and therefore making me better) there were only 2 up sides to this chemo. Firstly, that I wouldn't have to shave my legs for 5 months. WRONG!! My legs still need to be shaved. Secondly, that my monthlies would stop for the duration of the treatment and most likely never return.( A woman of my age really doesn't need them anyway!)

GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!! Damn my super immune system! Oh well, as long as priority number one is being taken care of.....

I didn't sleep last night, despite having a lovely comfy new memory foam mattress and pillows. I hate to think it, but I must have been getting stressed about today. Its only the vein thing. The chemo itself is fine...well apart from the prickly bum, dizziness and water up the nose feeling! No, honest, its really ok.

They found a vein straight away to take blood from. I knew we had peaked at that point. 2 good veins in one day...impossible. Got called in for chemo 10 minutes early..now I know its all about to go pear shaped!

My hand has been very sore with the hardening of my veins, so I was expecting it to hurt but bloody hell!!!. The nurse had a scout round my arm and hand and stumbled upon a possibly usable vein, right under my wrist bone. I did politely suggest she look for another one but to be honest,when they find a good vein its usually best to ignore my whimpering and just go for it. In all fairness, it went in first time, so that was good at least! 6 syringes later and its done. I kind of wish she had cut my hand off just above the wrist though. Not really. Sure it will start to get better soon. Mikey went and collected my injections and stuff from the pharmacy ( I must admit, he makes a very good nurse. He does my daily injections and doesn't hurt at all. That is possibly more to do with the excessive amounts of flesh around my belly than his gentle administration) and we went shopping. We have done lots of shopping in the last couple of days. This has just been to get out of the house while the central heating men work their magic. They weren't quite as popular with the woman downstairs, who complained to one of the workman that she was almost suicidal with all the drilling and hammering at 1.30pm. I am waiting for her to say something to me, so I can whip my hat off, expose my Festeresque head and put a little perspective into her life!!! Rant over.

Oh yes..I got the chest pains on day 16 again. Must tell The Christie to put it on their list of side effects.

Off to the Southport Airshow on Sunday. Monday its back to my decorating. Finished the lounge now. Oh go on then.....I'll finish the kitchen tomorrow after Mikey has some teeth out and we get back from the hospital. I think I may have either been Atilla the Hun or someone else suitably wicked in a past life! You know what though...I have a wonderful family and I love every minute I spend with them. Regardless of what we are doing.

One more thing.....KEEP CHECKING!!!!!!!! xxx