Heart, Veins & Fingernails

Monday 19th December

I spent a pleasant morning at the hospital as I had 3 appointments, which were well scheduled in that I didn't have to rush hither and thither.

First was my heart echocardiogram. Once again the operator was behind me so I couldn't see the screen. The room is also quite gloomy, I suppose so the operator can see the screen better. Consequently the only thing to do is snooze. So half an hour later I'm all done and I proceed to my next appointment.

Second is the phlebotomy clinic, also known as the blood clinic. I still qualify for queue jumping which is really very handy. As per usual I warn the phlebotomist that she has her work cut out and that I usually have the needles they use on babies etc. How wrong was I! She says she can see a lovely big vein and uses a normal vacuum type needle. This is truly a milestone as it has been nearly a year since I have had my blood taken in this manner. Usually they have to use a syringe and literally pull the blood out of my arm. Clearly my veins are on the mend! Hooray!

Finally I go to see the delightful Dr. Denton, my oncologist. My appointment is scheduled for 11.30am I arrive at 10am. So I settle down with my newspapers and prepare for a longish, but anticipated wait. Whilst I wait only a couple of other patients are seen and each takes quite a long time. At a little before 11am she pops her head out of her room and says I should come in now as otherwise I'll still be there at lunch time. So we go through the usual questions of how I am getting on and if there is anything new or interesting to report. I'm getting on swimmingly and apart from the fact that my fingernails are disintegrating  at an alarming rate everything else is tickety boo! I suspect that Dr. Denton quite likes me as a patient as I generally have little or nothing to report and am thus quick and straightforward.

Then off I go to the office, arriving there at the time I was scheduled to see Dr. Denton. Not a bad result overall.

Wednesday 21st December

The shortest day. Visit number 13. Only 5 left to go.

I arrive, as per usual, in plenty of time and get one of the electrically adjustable chairs, which I like even though, because they are quite high, I feel  a bit like a three year old when sitting on them.

I am weighed and asked the usual questions regarding my breathing, heart, swelling etc.All of which are OK. I tell them that there are ECG and blood results to be had from Monday. All is well, in fact my heart percentage has gone up from 55% to 56%, and no I have no idea what that percentage measures exactly other than some kind of pumping rate/efficiency. In any event it is good. I should point out that I have done little or no exercise over the last few weeks, so clearly not doing stuff to boost your heart rate would appear to be a good thing for your pump efficiency. Then again I could be wrong!

The matron is my nurse of the day. She says that it is not necessary to immerse my arm in warm water. This is the first time I have not had to do this. She goes for the vein at the base of my thumb. It's not too bad but it is still bruised and although blood comes out the saline won't go in. So out comes the cannula and the search for another vein begins. I do have one stipulation and that is not the back of my hand. This is for two reasons, one it is one of the more painful places to stick a needle and two because they can only use my right hand it means that doing the crossword is really quite difficult. So lovely amenable person that she is she finds a location at the top of my forearm near my elbow. Now because she is the matron her time is always being called upon by  doctors, nurses and all and sundry, so once the needle is in she disappears off to deal with a doctor. On her return she has to draw blood out and then push is back in to clear the cannula and vein before I can proceed with the various infusions of drugs. The rest of my session goes off without incident and I am home for another snooze by 1.45pm.

So that's it for this year. In comparison with last Christmas it is everything is looking rosy.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, and a Happy, Prosperous and Peaceful New Year.

Collapsing Veins and Humble Pie

Thursday 8th December

I went to have my 12th round of Herceptin last week and it would appear that my last decent vein is slowly but surely giving up the ghost. A few days before this I had slipped down the stairs and smashed my right elbow in to the stairs. I did think for a short moment that I might have broken something, but fortunately not.

However, it occurred to me that had I broken my right arm this would leave no place to stick needles in. The nurse, expert that she is, did manage to stick the needle in my collapsing vein successfully. When I asked what she wold have done had I turned up with my right arm in plaster she mentioned something about legs and feet! I don't think she was joking, but I must tried to avoid breaking my right arm.

Yesterday I went to a different hospital to the physiotherapy unit for the pain in my neck. No not my children, they are the pain in my wallet!!! My neck pain I should point out is completely unrelated to my cancer or ongoing treatment, it's just the rest of my falling apart, slowly.

Anyway, whilst there I bumped into an old friend who I haven't seen in years. (I really must make more of an effort to keep up contact.) Well she has been suffering from lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system) and to cut a long story short, it took a while to diagnose as she did not display any of the typical symptoms. Upshot is she had in-patient chemotherapy, including spinal injections and because this is not a type of cancer you can operate on had to rely entirely on the chemo, which from the sound of it was very rigorous. She is currently in remission and is having physio for the after effects of the chemo and cancer, weakened muscles and the like.

Well, having spoken to her I felt unbelievably humbled by her experience and whilst I probably have a slightly better idea of what she has gone through than many of you, I can hardly begin to imagine exactly what she has endured. It makes my last year or so seem like a cake walk in comparison and I am beyond grateful that my cancer, diagnosis and treatment have all been relatively quick, straightforward and by and large, endurable.

Whilst I don't tend to like to play the Pollyanna Glad Game, every so often I think it is a good thing that something happens which puts my own situation very much in perspective.