Hiya,
I thought I’d put up another blog and give an update as a lot seems to be progressing at once and my phone is constantly ringing:-
- Aviva my Insurance company calling to check everything is okay.
- NHS Nurse routine check in.
- This Nurse from Nuffield wanted to know blood groups.
- This nurse from Lloyd’s wants to come out on Monday to do blood tests ready for Wednesday.
- Even the odd phone call from one of you lot checking in on me. [Thanks :)]
The lady (Claire) from Lloyd’s told me that Monday will be the delivery of the Chemotherapy and that she would be coming to introduce herself and take the bloods for testing on that day too.
Wednesday 29th January will be the first session of radiotherapy.
I got to thinking about it and the crazy thing is, I doubt I’ll be in the hospital longer than about 15-20 minutes for each session.
I guess… This is my life now, well at least for for the next 28 consecutive week days… at the very least.
I had started writing this blog on Saturday and lost track of it and only just started to finish it today.
Rudely awoken by the delivery guy. Huge package (Fnar Fnar)
Decided to leave it till the nurse arrives.
An hour or so later, Claire my Lloyds Nurse turns up and stays with me for about an hour. The main outcome was:-
I have to have my meds and my bloods taken each week to make sure I’m healthy enough to continue with the chemo-radiotherapy.
It shouldn’t be anywhere near as bad as the previous chemotherapy.
She’s lovely and she explained everything I would need to know.
I tell you, there’s a difference between private and NHS health care, it shouldn’t come as a surprise really, but it has now become apparent.
I just want to preface this by saying that the NHS staff have been brilliant with me. They’ve helped me immensely. I have love for all of the NHS Nurses and Doctors from A&E to the cancer team.
The Oncology team in Gateshead and Newcastle.
However, we won’t talk about NHS Surgery teams… Less said about them the better.
However now that my care has been moved to private, you can just… erm… Tell.
Now, I don’t mean that this hospital is better than that hospital. No Far from it. It seems to have been my experience so far has been exemplary.
I got today what can only be described as a ‘Goody Bag’ of stuff to help me through the Chemo-Radiotherapy. It was included with all of my medications that I had delivered.
It was stuff like a thermometer to check my temps (If you don’t know about Chemo, you have to monitor yourself constantly, if you get an infection you have to act IMMEDIATELY), a hot/cold compress (a good one too. brand named) This pair of amazing socks as you can get an issue with the new chemo and feet skin.
A super soft toothbrush so that you don’t get sores.
A ton of mouthwash and hand cream, lip balm and hand sanitiser.
It all came in this shaving bag thingy.
Oh and they brought a sharps bin for the nurses to use when they visit weekly. Claire had a laugh about the size of the sharps bin
Top effort. but, not just the goody bag thing. I really just feel all together better looked after.
I just picked up my phone to Claire again who’d forgotten to ask me what my previous chemotherapy was.
If that was NHS, they would just wait till they saw me next.
So far, I have zero complaints and I really do feel good about going into this new treatment. I was even offered my own blood test results. Something you would never in a month of Sunday’s get more than ‘It was okay’ from the NHS.
So how do I feel right now?
I’m good I guess, pain is still there and I am dealing with it. I can live with the pain as is at the moment. I have noticed that I’m getting tired a lot more on the dog walks. I can’t walk and talk, especially if it’s up hill. Kerry has noticed it too.
I wasn’t worried too much about it but Kerry did say it could be the met’s in my lungs and the possibility of me not getting a full breath in etc
I will monitor this but I know I’m due to experience some side effects as I have both Chemo and Radiotherapy coming up. I’d really like to get back to work but I want the pain dealt with. There’s no point trying to concentrate on that until I know that the pain is managed again.
Mood: I’m okay, I’m excited for the new treatment.
Pain: 5/10 No better no worse.
Appetite: Okay. I can eat right now.
Weight: 94KG No change since last blog.
An honest blog about a guy's journey through cancer and chemotherapy 