Week 11 - Thursday 11th June
Hello again, and thank you for stopping by to read my weekly update on my journey with cancer.
I have no idea how I make these blogs sound like I'm constantly doing something, far from it. The average day (where I'll start at midnight), is eventually falling asleep, occasionally waking up mid way through the night with the potential of a stomach cramp (get a bit of food in me to stop that progressing), then falling back to sleep listening to the dawn chorus (yes, 4am is early, but it is wonderful). I get up between 6am-8am, depending if I have radiotherapy early in the morning.
I'll have a small breakfast to get me going, have a mid-morning snack, a small lunch (usually a sandwich on granary bread), and afternoon snack, a small dinner (recently it's been a jacket potato with lots of butter and cheese). I actually don't have an appetite (which is normal), so I don't get the "ooh I fancy...". I try and pay attention to the time and remember I need to eat so I don't run on empty. However, I haven't gained wait, as I hoped I did. Although I've not lost anymore, so that's a massive positive.
Most of my time is spent sitting (to conserve my energy), playing with our dog in the garden, occasionally pottering about in the garden, reading, watching a little bit of TV, and having naps. This is far removed of what I would normally be like this time of year. The spring and summer is where I can be irritatingly energetic, and "I'll just do this one last thing.." when I'm at work, finishing a shift far later than I should do. Or irritating my other half on my day off saying that I need to be doing something at home. I cannot just sit. So it's been very weird, to just do that, sit. I've no choice, I HAVE to listen to my body, and I have promised myself I will do so in the future.
The day after chemo I'm still OK in the morning, but I will get tired in the afternoon. However, this week I was awake all day (I tried to nap, but I just couldn't), and had the best sleep overnight for AGES! I woke up with a bit more energy Wednesday morning.
Niagara Falls is far more under control (diarrhea). In the morning it's much more "normal" for the current circumstances (soft, but well formed - never thought I'd be making shit sound good!), but does get looser as the day goes on. One tablet later, and I'm fine for the rest of the day. Once treatment is over, things should get better, although there can be a chance of long-term effects.
I've started to also get the odd ringing in my ears (tinnitus), again this is normal. It only happens for about 10-20 seconds, and then disappears. I maybe get a couple of spells a day. I had one day where I felt really sick, and took one of my ad-hoc anti-sickness tablets, and I have been fine since.
The good news to end this blog is that on Monday, it will be my last chemo treatment! It hasn't been a terrible experience, as the nurses and healthcare workers have been fantastic. When I walk in, they all ask how I am, and we have a chat about our pets and so on, it makes the experience much more human. Even the lady who comes around and serves us drinks and lunch is lovely, and remembers how I like my tea.
Radiotherapy will still be going for another couple of weeks, then I'll be finishing with brachytherapy in Bristol. I believe this will be 4 sessions over two weeks (I'm waiting for the dates to come through). Hollow tubes will be inserted into the vagina directly to the remaining cancer either under a spinal or general anesthetic (a glorious image, I'm sure!). Radioactive material from the brachytherapy machine will be transmitted through these tubes to finish off the cancer. The radioactive material only circulates from the machine, into the tubes, to the cancer for a period of time, and leaves when treatment has ended. This is the final boss fight. It sounds horrific, and I'll be honest I'm not looking forward to it. However, this is my chance of being cancer free, I'm bloody well taking it. Short-term pain for long-term gain.
One last bit of good news, although it feels really odd saying this while I'm off sick from work, is that when I'm fit to return, I'll be a store manager!
It's been a really surreal experience this year. I was helping out in another store at the beginning of the year, and got a call to consider applying for a store. I applied for the job, and also another store that had opened up near to the first one. While I was waiting to hear about them, I started to have tests for the pains I was having. I didn't get the first store I applied for, but I got the second (I've known I was successful for quite some time, but wasn't sure if it would actually happen, as I'm off sick). I was looking forward to going back to work after all this was over, but now I've got a renewed energy. I wish I could go and say "hello" to the team, but that will have to wait. I've got a long way to go, but it'll all be worth it, in the end.
As always, stay safe, stay well, and if you're not feeling right, get yourself checked out xxx
I have no idea how I make these blogs sound like I'm constantly doing something, far from it. The average day (where I'll start at midnight), is eventually falling asleep, occasionally waking up mid way through the night with the potential of a stomach cramp (get a bit of food in me to stop that progressing), then falling back to sleep listening to the dawn chorus (yes, 4am is early, but it is wonderful). I get up between 6am-8am, depending if I have radiotherapy early in the morning.
I'll have a small breakfast to get me going, have a mid-morning snack, a small lunch (usually a sandwich on granary bread), and afternoon snack, a small dinner (recently it's been a jacket potato with lots of butter and cheese). I actually don't have an appetite (which is normal), so I don't get the "ooh I fancy...". I try and pay attention to the time and remember I need to eat so I don't run on empty. However, I haven't gained wait, as I hoped I did. Although I've not lost anymore, so that's a massive positive.
Most of my time is spent sitting (to conserve my energy), playing with our dog in the garden, occasionally pottering about in the garden, reading, watching a little bit of TV, and having naps. This is far removed of what I would normally be like this time of year. The spring and summer is where I can be irritatingly energetic, and "I'll just do this one last thing.." when I'm at work, finishing a shift far later than I should do. Or irritating my other half on my day off saying that I need to be doing something at home. I cannot just sit. So it's been very weird, to just do that, sit. I've no choice, I HAVE to listen to my body, and I have promised myself I will do so in the future.
The day after chemo I'm still OK in the morning, but I will get tired in the afternoon. However, this week I was awake all day (I tried to nap, but I just couldn't), and had the best sleep overnight for AGES! I woke up with a bit more energy Wednesday morning.
Niagara Falls is far more under control (diarrhea). In the morning it's much more "normal" for the current circumstances (soft, but well formed - never thought I'd be making shit sound good!), but does get looser as the day goes on. One tablet later, and I'm fine for the rest of the day. Once treatment is over, things should get better, although there can be a chance of long-term effects.
I've started to also get the odd ringing in my ears (tinnitus), again this is normal. It only happens for about 10-20 seconds, and then disappears. I maybe get a couple of spells a day. I had one day where I felt really sick, and took one of my ad-hoc anti-sickness tablets, and I have been fine since.
The good news to end this blog is that on Monday, it will be my last chemo treatment! It hasn't been a terrible experience, as the nurses and healthcare workers have been fantastic. When I walk in, they all ask how I am, and we have a chat about our pets and so on, it makes the experience much more human. Even the lady who comes around and serves us drinks and lunch is lovely, and remembers how I like my tea.
Radiotherapy will still be going for another couple of weeks, then I'll be finishing with brachytherapy in Bristol. I believe this will be 4 sessions over two weeks (I'm waiting for the dates to come through). Hollow tubes will be inserted into the vagina directly to the remaining cancer either under a spinal or general anesthetic (a glorious image, I'm sure!). Radioactive material from the brachytherapy machine will be transmitted through these tubes to finish off the cancer. The radioactive material only circulates from the machine, into the tubes, to the cancer for a period of time, and leaves when treatment has ended. This is the final boss fight. It sounds horrific, and I'll be honest I'm not looking forward to it. However, this is my chance of being cancer free, I'm bloody well taking it. Short-term pain for long-term gain.
One last bit of good news, although it feels really odd saying this while I'm off sick from work, is that when I'm fit to return, I'll be a store manager!
It's been a really surreal experience this year. I was helping out in another store at the beginning of the year, and got a call to consider applying for a store. I applied for the job, and also another store that had opened up near to the first one. While I was waiting to hear about them, I started to have tests for the pains I was having. I didn't get the first store I applied for, but I got the second (I've known I was successful for quite some time, but wasn't sure if it would actually happen, as I'm off sick). I was looking forward to going back to work after all this was over, but now I've got a renewed energy. I wish I could go and say "hello" to the team, but that will have to wait. I've got a long way to go, but it'll all be worth it, in the end.
As always, stay safe, stay well, and if you're not feeling right, get yourself checked out xxx
Congrats on becoming Store Manager! Some great news and definitely something to look forward to xx
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
DeleteYes Mook! Congratulations on the new job! Beat this boss and on to a whole new game :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Nick :)
Delete