Chemo#6

What a bloody week! Monday's gruelling commute for nowt, another commute for a CT scan on Tuesday, more jabs and blood tests (Monday and Wednesday) and today, another blood test because my Wednesday count was still low. Blood test OK, back in the big chair for what I'm still hoping is my last voluntary poisoning. That's seven needles this week!!
Had the usual 2 hour wait while being hydrated through a saline IV line. Infusion started at 1300, all done by 1500.
Appointment for two weeks time to discuss the results of my recent CT and next weeks PET scan.
Back home on the last ferry. Lauchy - you da man!
Found a snap of the top team during a long weekend in Amsterdam in healthier times!
Tastes buds are numbing, looks like this one is kicking in already, see you on the other side.........

'And all the drugs in the world
Cant save us from ourselves
Victims with the saddest hearts
Passing by the grace of god
There by the grace of god'

Zap..............

Spent the best summer's day of the year so far commuting around Ayrshire for what turned out to be something they could have told me over the phone in 5 minutes!! Left home at 10:00, arrived back home at 19:30 - time with consultant - 15 minutes, he didn't even examine me.
Upshot is, they will give me 3 or 4 weeks of radiotherapy based on the result of next weeks PET scan. May commence treatment on 16th April although our move 'up north' may complicate matters if the treatment is delayed for some reason. I also have to go for another CAT scan one week before radiotherapy so they can pin-point the tumours and also custom fit a lead mask to cover most of my neck and face - so they don't zap the bits they don't need to. One of the side affects he mentioned was they would zap my thyroid gland (it gets in the way) which means it may not function for a few months after treatment - may not function at all. The thyroid gland regulated the body's metabolism amongst other things - so a non-functioning gland turns you into a fat b******d. I'm already a fat b******d so I'm not wanting that. Probably be on thyroid replacement pills for a few months or even life! Also might be staying on the ward for the treatment rather than the hotel - apparently I'm better off on the ward as the hotel sounds like some DSS dive - can't be having that, I have my standards!!
Its always a joy when arriving at Crosshouse hospital (I'm sure its the same across the country) to be greeted by a cohort of sickly looking individuals who stand outside of the main entrance, dressed in pyjamas, dressing gowns and slippers - all puffing on Regal King size. Baaaaaasssstttaaaarrrrddsss!!!!!! I could go off on a rant here but have a few Ebay parcels to wrap!
Until next time dear reader...............

'Radio is a sound salvation
Radio is cleaning up the nation
They say you better listen to the voice of reason
But they don't give you any choice 'cause they think that it's treason
So you had better do as you are told
You better listen to the radio'

Hellish...........

Well folks, another week of chemo hell behind me. It definitely gets worse the longer it goes on, as this has certainly been my worst week since treatment began. All the usual symptoms but worse and longer lasting. Gladly this chemo#5 nightmare is nearly at an end as I'm starting to feel OK again, even managed a short bike ride yesterday. Spent most of today sorting out the junk I've collected in the garage over the last 6 years - probably shift most of it at the car boot sale next Saturday (Chemo#6 hangover permitting). That's about as busy as its been since chemo#5, spent most of the time curled up in the house wishing my life away! Also passed the time selling junk on eBay, its amazing what people will buy.

Next week will be busy with three hospital visits, plus the usual blood tests and GF jabs and of course what I'm hoping to be my last treatment - chemo#6. After the bad week I've just had, I'm not sure how I'd cope with being told I have another 3 months of chemo to come - so I'm just focusing on being positive that my scans are negative. Date just in for PET scan - 3/4/07.

Got a confirmed date for moving house. We should be off the island by 15th May 2007. I'm hoping I can get going with the radiotherapy soon so I can be all done by move day, otherwise its gonna be a right kerfuffle!

Doctor Daz's sure-fire cure for chemo induced nausea has been superseded. Gone are the cream eggs (gone right off them) and I am now mostly eating Mr Kiplin's cakes (all of them, but especially cherry bakewells) and home-made corned beef and potato pie - with plenty of HP sauce, mmmmmm,m.

Starting to feel lively again, better get on that bike before it wears off!
Cheerio the noo!!!!

'If only I don't bend and break
I'll meet you on the other side
I'll meet you in the light
If only I don't suffocate
I'll meet you in the morning
When you wake................'

Quickie

Just a quick update for ya. Had a few bits of news yesterday. Two appointments at Crosshouse for next week - Monday to see the radiographer to sort out my next phase of treatment and Tuesday for a CAT scan to check the tumours have diminished prior to PET scan in Aberdeen. Not forgetting another trip to Crosshouse on Thursday for Chemo#6.

Best news of the day though is our offer for the house at Old Rayne (near Inverurie) has been accepted - move-in date somewhere around 15th May 2007 - woohoo!!!!

Lip up fatty, ah lip up fatty, for the reggae,
Lip up fatty, ah lip up fatty, for the reggae,
Listen to the music, shuffle up your feet,
Listen to the music of the fatty beat.

Chemo#5

Another two blood tests and two Neupogen jabs on Monday and Wednesday ensured my blood counts were as good as they were going to be this morning. First ferry across the water and up to Crosshouse for 0945. A quick chat with Doc E who told me I would be spending my radiotherapy time in a hotel as they can't have me travelling home each day - 4 weeks in a hotel - bloody hell, if I had hair I would be pulling it out with boredom. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. The doc seemed confident my PET scan in a few weeks will be negative, easy for him!
Walked into the ward and guess what, the boys were still watching the girls who were watching the boys who were watching the girls go by - da daaa da da - Aaaaarrrghh! Shortly followed by some Perry Chemo - heh heh! Just as well I'd brought my MP3 player and I was soon on a Highway to Hell.
In the big chair for 1015, hooked up to the saline IV, hopeful of an early infusion and back home on the 1515 ferry. My hopes were again dashed, same as Chemo#4 when the drugs didn't turn up until 1300!!! Infusion commenced 1315, all done by 1450 - Slackers!
The big comfy chairs have a recliner facility which one can ease back into an extremely comfortable 3/4 reclined position although after several hours of blissful recumbence, the vinyl covering doesn't half make one's arse sweaty. After five hours I had what the Queen would describe as an Anus Horriblis!
Back home on the 1800 ferry.
Big thanks again to Lauchy and Moira for the taxi service and the hospitality - you're the best.
Feeling a bit sick the noo, not sure if its the chemo kicking in already or watching the Toon get humped in Europe!
Keep up with the comments or you won't be invited to Daz is Cured/Hoose warming party.
Nighty night.............

Had to cool me down To take another round
Now I'm back in the ring to take another swing
'Cause the walls were shaking The earth was quaking
My mind was aching And we were making it and you
Shook me all night long............

What goes around..................

Just back from a stressful two days up North East Scotland. Only two houses to view which were both crackers but 60 miles apart. Friday saw us in a place called Craigo, viewing a steading conversion - we immediately put a bid in via our solicitor, only to be told it had already been sold!!! What the hell are they playing at??? A bit pissed off, we were back in Montrose for an overnight stay at the Park Hotel. The hotel car park was full when we returned from the restaurant so I parked in front of the annexe where we were lodging. Got up in the morning to find one of my car tyres had been slashed - probably by the bloke who lives next door to the annexe who runs a taxi service and parks his cars where I parked mine. Revenge will be sweet. My wallet was soon lightened to the tune of £104 for a new tyre, and we were heading north to view a property near Inverurie. The house is a new build and a bit pricey but we might bid for it anyway, I can't take many more of these trips - especially as we had to bring the dogs this time as we no longer have a sitter since Lewis joined the Army. We have two dogs, a Scottie and a Yorkie. I don't know what he'd been eating but the Yorkie (Beavis) farted every few minutes of the journey - so we spent most of the 500 mile round trip with our heads poking out of the window getting windswept and interesting, although most of what remains of my hair blew off, so I just look interesting! Just in case you didn't know what a dog fart smells like, they're a helluva lot worse that a chemo'd Daz fart - and that's bad! Back home on Saturday - 1800 ferry.
One good thing out of this was that my chemo hangover completely disappeared on Thursday and I felt like a normal healthy person during the whole trip, I was even told that I looked good - howay man!
Its now the start of a new week and I'll endure the usual blood tests and Neupogen jabs prior to what will hopefully be my penultimate Chemo#5. My mouth has become sore and ulcerated and my gums are swollen like I have boils between my teeth - this is a sure sign that my blood count is dangerously low. When I go for today's blood test, I'll insist I have a Neupogen jab, rather than wait for the inevitable result tomorrow.
Fingers crossed my bid for the house is accepted and the property doesn't go to a closing date.

'But I will pray for you
And some day I may return
Don't you cry for me
Beyond is where I learn
Living on a razors edge
Balancing on a ledge
Living on a razors edge
The evil that men do lives on and on'

Rough

Commence bleating................
Another bad week post chemo#4. As expected the hangover gets slightly worse and lasts a bit longer each time. Spent a few afternoon's in bed for an hour or two. Symptoms are still the same - an indescribable uuurrghh feeling which lasts all day (which is eased by lying down!), everything still tastes weird, hypersensitivity to certain smells - especially cooking smells, they really set me off (nausea). My bowels can't make their minds up whether its skitters or cannonballs! My hair is still coming out in clumps when I pull it - my heed is starting to look like a moth eaten couch. Quite a few headaches this week as well, a couple of them were migraines. I'm not getting any slimmer either, mainly because of Doctor Daz's fool-proof cure for nausea - a Cadbury's cream egg, on the hour, every hour! Still drinking loads of orange juice, I've read somewhere that this is some sort of cure-all - it certainly makes toilet-time interesting!
End of bleating.

House hunting again tomorrow - only if we get off the island, the weather looks shite again. We had quite a list of houses to look at, but ringing around yesterday to book viewings, we've found most of them are now sold - which leaves us two to view and one of those is under offer, the other is North of Aberdeen - they eat their bairns up there yi knaa!!!

Feeling a bit more lively this morning, might even venture out on the bike for an hour. I've a new bike on order via the 'Cycle 2 Work' scheme. If you have this benefit at work (government sponsored) you must take advantage - Any Halfords bike up to the value of £1100 for half price - yi canna whack it!

'Fat bottomed girls they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah'

Masterchef gans large

A bit off topic, but my bro David is through to the semi-finals of Masterchef. Won through the heats on Monday and tonight with some fantastic cheffery. He'll be on all next week - BBC2 - 1830-ish. Will he go any further? Tune in to find oot. See his blog site - Book the Cook, He'll come round to your hoose and mess up ya kitchen for a moderate fee but he turns oot a canny boiled egg and soldiers - Check it oot!
This is a picture from a few years back during our Great North Run days - fit as fiddles, unlike the noo!

'Turn on my V.C.R.
Same one I've had for years
James Brown on the Tammy show
Same tape I've had for years
I sit in my old car
Same one I've had for years
Old battery's running down
It ran for years and years'

Chemo-Savvy

Had a good blether with my consultant during chemo#4 about the way to go with future treatments. Doc G thinks I need 6 months of chemo as she is convinced I am Hodgkin's 2B due to night sweats just before Christmas, but Doc E reckons my night sweats were due to 12 hours on the pish followed by a dodgy curry giving me mild food poisoning (I agree) - this would make me Hodgkin's 2A - meaning only 3 or 4 months chemo. So they will give me 3 months chemo (thats only 2 more chemo's to go) then send me to Aberdeen for a CAT scan and a PET scan. If the scans are negative I will receive no more chemo - woohoo!!!! However, I will then go onto a 4 to 5 week course of daily radiotherapy (in my neck and chest) - doh!!!! A few weeks post radiotherapy convalescence then back to the graft. If my scans are positive, I will resume the chemo.
So, fingers crossed for a negative PET scan in about 5 weeks time.

'I'm tough, rough, ready and able
To pick myself up from under this table
Don't stick no sign on me, I got no label
I'm a little sick, unsure, unsound and unstable
But I'm fighting my way back'

Chemo#4

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday saw the usual rounds of blood tests and Neupogen injections to bring my blood counts into something resembling a healthy person.
A 'round the horn' ferry ride saw me into Ardrossan for 0915 and Neil was again there to whisk me into Crosshouse bang on appointment time. The Heamo nurse told me my last counts were fine and I didn't need to give anymore blood today - wehey! Into the chemo room for 1030 and was soon hooked up via my right wrist to some IV saline. Two and a quarter hours later I was still hooked up to the saline while they fannied about with my chemo drugs. Infusion finally commenced at 1300, completed by 1450 - No Problemo. Still no Bleomycin for this badass.
This chemo session was particularly stressful as they found a way of playing music through the ward TV via the DVD player. It soon became obvious that Ashley had been there before me and had left a load of his CD's behind as we were treated to Perry Como, Andy Williams and Bing Crosby - it was absolute torture. I was the youngest on the ward by about twenty years and the other cancer punters were luvin' it, feet tappin' aplenty and one old fella was singing his heart out, I kept looking around for a shotgun but none could be found.
Things started to look up when they brought me a cuppa and a big plate of posh biscuits. I tanned the lot!!!
Good news on my future treatments, but more on this later.
Back home on the 1800 ferry, home made curry for tea, fantastic!

'The boys watch the girls
while the girls watch the boys
who watch the girls go by.........'
Piss off, Williams!!!