Saturday.. all done and home again
Nov 11th 2006PeterMore treatment!
And the radiotherapy is completed! However, not a very good day yesterday. I was up fairly early to pack and tidy the flat before leaving, and set off to get to St Thomas’s. I haven’t been at my best in the mornings – my throat seems worse then, possibly because it has dried out in the night, and I didn’t feel like eating, so I left without having any breakfast.
I was on time, but again the unit was running a bit late, so I had about a 25 minute wait before I went in. After the last session I had to go and see one of the radiologists just for a check up, and so I had about another 45 minute wait until I saw someone there. The check up went fairly well, with the classic understatement “Your mouth looks really painful”! Anyway, the outcome was that I was prescibed some stronger pain killers (I declined the offer of the cocaine mouthwash!) and an anti-fungal drug (“I don’t think it is thrush – looks more like necrotic tissue – but have the anti-fungal just in case” – another good one liner)
So it was off to the pharmacy and another 40 minute wait. All went well until I went to collect the drugs, and as I was standing at the counter, I started to feel decidedly ‘woozy’. It was when the dispenser asked “Are you feeling OK?” and I replied “Not really” that things started going a bit black, and although I didn’t actually collapse in a big snotty heap on the floor, the next thing I remember was a bit of staggering while I was supported by two people and sank into a chair. Really weird – only about the third time in my life I have ever fainted. Just to round off a not very good day, I lost my woolly hat somewhere in the hospital. 🙁
Anyway, after about 30 minutes I felt strong enough to get back to flat, finish tidying up and think about leaving. I did have a bit of a rest, so I was much later leaving than I expected, The journey from the flat to Waterloo was the hardest part, pulling my suitcase and carrying a bag and the laptop, but once on the train at Waterloo all was OK and I eventually made it back home without any mishaps!
This morning I feel a bit better, and managed some porridge and stewed fruit – the pain killers I was prescribed are really good (Solpadene) and makes eating easier. I still feel quite weak, but nothing like as bad as yesterday – thank goodness!
Anyway, the radiotherapy is complete, the swelling has certainly gone down, and I hope in a couple of weeks the sore throat will have resolved itself!
I did take Simon’s advice (see Thursday’s comments) about the lifts – why make life difficult? Richard and Gillian, I didn’t see Invincible, and I’ll take your word about the French ship being the “Latouche-Tréville” – where did you find that snippet?
Next appointment is at Guy’s on Thursday – Onwards and I hope Upwards!
5 Responses to “Saturday.. all done and home again”
Richard on 11 Nov 2006 at 3:57 pm #
Well………you know what your Mother said about having a good breakfast.
Low blood sugar and no caffeine is the problem. Shame it was difficult it would have been nice to have the last treatment in a sunny way.
I know some people involved in the parade today from the City and was told that Invincible would be there and your picture did not fit the bill. So Port of London site provides lists of movements and ships in the Port so a piece of ……..(whoops, a family site) to see what warships were there.
Not magic really.
Have a restful and strength building weekend.
Think of Gillian comparing notes on the Washington Firebridge, French Navy and our brace boys………not too seriously though.
Glad that it is all over, don’t let the thrush nest they get up very early.
Richard
Gillian on 11 Nov 2006 at 4:39 pm #
you know the old saying – breakfast like a king…..
Glad to hear that you’re back home, despite the loss of a wooly hat – I’ll lend you the Elf one when I’ve finished with it (Santa insists we are properly attired at all times – Elf and Safety rules)
love, hugs and a shoulder to lean on
Gillian
Stephen Benson on 13 Nov 2006 at 7:23 pm #
Peter:
The last time I almost fainted was at the wheel of the car on the M56! So your ‘incident’ could have happened in a much worse place. I had just left hospital after a minor procedure (relating to the saga of my hernia operation) and felt fine when I set off and fine when the car was moving but as soon as the traffic came to a halt (with me in lane three) I started to pass out! Fortunately, there was an old bottle of water in the car and some deep breathing and water consumption got brought me round. I didn’t tell Gill for three weeks!
Take it easy – like I should have done.
Stephen
Liz on 13 Nov 2006 at 9:03 pm #
Glad to see that the radiotherapy is now over. Here’s hoping that now you’re back on good home cooking, your strength will return!
By the way, did you ever manage to track down anything about “acai”?
Take care!
Lots of love,
Liz
Richard on 13 Nov 2006 at 9:55 pm #
I must go back to the ‘nut’ shop in Tenterden because I was discussing the latest rush to buy Walnuts (controls blood lipids etc) and the manager mentioned a lady who had been in with bone cancer who said that eating acai berries had reduced her cell count…….as they had sold out I could not see a pack to check the spelling but this is one site http://www.hwize.co.uk/acai/acai.html
I will check though in case there is another berry with powerful claims.
Will post as soon as confirmed……I recall she said that they are very hard and that one of her colleagues soaks them, drinks the water through the day and eats the berries at the end of the day.
If this is the site for the liquor it doesn’t look too expensive, I drink pomegranate juice (as a concentrate) which has similar claims.
Hope and trust that all is well.
Sun should cheer the conservatory……………F30 for me 🙂
Richard