Update 20/11/2019

Hi,

It’s the big meeting tomorrow. I finally get to see my surgeon consultant and discuss the next steps. I also have to have my port flushed out as it’s just over a month since it was last used. It’s not that it’s been hurting but it has started to feel uncomfortable in the last 2 or 3 weeks.

I guess I am feeling a bit of anxiety about the whole meeting thing.
I know that he is going to be working from the results from tests that I have already had, there is little chance of receiving ‘new’ news, but it’s knowing he *IS* the one that’s going to be able to answer the questions that my oncologist couldn’t answer. Questions I need answers to but may not like the answers.

How much of my bowel are we going to remove? What sort of recovery time are we looking at? Mortality rates in these surgeries etc

It’s not so much knowing I am going to need a stoma or not. I know that there is a very high chance I am going to live with one permanently, we’re not going to know until the surgery happens. Still making me feel anxious about it.

My pills arrived. Here’s what they look like:-

Either they’ve given me too many of certain pills or written the instructions incorrectly. I have emailed them for confirmation. I will take the previous prescription until they confirm. Crazy though, just so much.

The weaning me off tramadol is coming on perfectly. I had some cold/flu like symptoms, I had initially tried to come off them cold turkey, I was advised against it by a doctor friend and from taking 100mg 4 times a day, I am now down to 100mg a day. One in the morning and one in the evening.
By next week, I doubt I’ll even be taking them. I haven’t noticed any increase in pain, so it looks like I am good there.

Of course, should the pain return, they’re still part of a repeat prescription. I could just start taking them again.
It’s a funny old thing the NHS doesn’t seem to follow up on, whether you need to be on the medication anymore. Like, they wait for you to ask. I would have thought they would just ask in passing, “Regarding your repeat prescription, everything still okay with that?”
I would have been able to say, well actually, I am not feeling pain, should we reduce the meds?

The heartburn is back, I guess it’s either the Metformin or the Atorvastatin causing it, I wouldn’t have expected the doxycycline causing it, that’s the don’t go out in the sun medication. Well I am treating it with omeprazole.
I hate that you take this pill to counteract this other pill rubbish but if it works, it works.

I started the application for my P.I.P on Thursday of last week. They said that I would receive paperwork next. It’s a week tomorrow that I started the application. Still no paperwork. I thought that the DWP were the kings and queens of sending paperwork out? No?

Oh, my facial hair started to grow back, shame! I’ll need to start shaving once a day again, I was getting quite used to not having to do that. It’s the little things I guess.

Well, I will make this short as more than likely, Saturday’s blog will be much longer. Kerry is climbing all day Saturday with the Middlesbrough lot in Newcastle so if I take the macbook with me. I should be able to crack it all out at as they’re climbing. Beats playing on my phone for 5 something hours.

-C