So today was my first session of Radiotherapy.
I was rudely awoken by my alarm clock at 07:00 this morning. I will say, that’s not something I have been used to in the last 6 months.
I have to eat before I take the chemotherapy pills.
I’d just woken up and trying to get some peanut butter on toast down my throat at like 07:10 took a herculean effort. However, I manage it. I get Kerry up and we set off to Newcastle.
Kerry had asked me to check Apple maps to confirm travel time and traffic, it said 20 minutes (Bullshit) but we left with 40 minutes to spare.
Glad of that, because it took 35 minutes to get there. I went into the reception area, I was greeted by the new nurses that would be helping me.
More free stuff. However, this time it’s… well… It’s kinda… Look… Okay…
It’s Bum Cream, there’s no way to sugar coat this. It’s for my ass!
I am to report for radiotherapy, immediately go to the toilet, then have two glasses of water and be there on time I guess. Lucky I was 😀
Well, today’s nurses explained that I am going to be sore, I am most probably going to get a rash, if I can, use the cream and let the air get to it.
I pulled a face and she just smiled and said, lay on the bed and relax.
Yes Ma’am!
So, into the room with the machinery in, looks like this:-
Then using my newly acquired tattoos they line me up and shoot me with radiotherapy. At the time I thought I could feel it but I discussed it with Kerry on the drive home. I suspect what I actually felt was the heat of the machine as it rotated around me.
I think all in all we were in the hospital for an hour. Which brings me to the next point.
Parking. So the Freeman in Newcastle isn’t like most of the other hospitals in the North of England, being that you can actually fucking park there.
Less said about the Q.E. in Gateshead the better. However I did ask the Nurse, do I have to pay for parking on each visit, being that there are going to be 28 sessions, that’s gonna sting a bit. £1.20-2.40 a go depending on time.
Thankfully no, for the lowly cost of a £10er you can get a pass that works with ANPR and that will cover me for the whole of my treatment.
BARGIN! So I am glad that’s sorted, I did have to pay for the two times I visited for a CT and MRI scan, I was going to have to pay for today but she asked for the car’s registration today so she could find it in the system and stop the payment. Noice!
So, I’m home now. I’ve had a bit of a sleep.
But all in all, the chemo made me feel awful already. Sickly if you will.
I need to get over to my cannabis resin guy in Wallsend. I guess I will do that tomorrow and then I shouldn’t feel any nausea.
I totally forgot about it to be honest and let it run out. D’oh!
So Kerry, Me and Rupert are doing a sitting protest on the couch. Watching TV and recuperating.
You may have seen on my Facebook already. If you haven’t… Here ya go:-
We watched John Wick 2 as I noticed John Wick 3 appeared on Netflix, so I needed a bit of a reminder of who he killed. Oh yes, that’s right… EVERYONE!
To let you know what I am feeling right now. I have a warm sensation where they hit me with the radiotherapy. We’ve all had a kick in the arse before or we’ve rode a bike and got saddle sore or even fallen off a slide and landed arse first.
It’s not the initial pain I am talking about, it’s the warm uncomfortable feeling aftermath I have.
I think other than that. I’m good right now.
As per usual, a million thanks to Kerry for her continued support and for getting me around. I wouldn’t know what to do without her.
We’re going to get through this. Me and her against the world like we always do.
Mood: Sore, bruised and battered.
Pain: 5/10 No better no worse.
Appetite: Zero – Going to have to force me to eat today
Weight: 94KG No change since last blog.
An honest blog about a guy's journey through cancer and chemotherapy 