Blood transfusion

PICC line is in.

They let me have chemo this week despite low haemoglobin and low neutrophils, but I had to have a blood transfusion today and also have some additional injections to administer myself for the next five days to boost my immune system. I feel alright in myself though and haven’t had too much sickness so far. I’m still eating ok and the nurses seem happy with things as long as I stay away from any possible sources of infection/illness.

The night sweats seem to have returned though, which is really annoying, so back to sleepless nights and changing the bedclothes at stupid times in the morning.

Two friends I met in hospital have died this week, so on a bit of a low emotionally as we had been a trio that kept in touch and now I’m the last one left! Sad times.

Nausea

Just a quick update

Still feeling sick, though I have had a few nausea free days to be thankful for and I have been feeling a lot better in myself. I saw the consultant today and they are happy to push along with chemo and continue with my meds as they are. I’m getting a new PICC line put in tomorrow ready for chemo next week as I only had the Irinotecan last week without the 5FU.

Thanks to everyone for all of the flowers, prayers and well wishes... I do appreciate them. My biggest thing at the moment is boredom. I can’t focus on much for more than about 20 minutes and iPad games are just not cutting it. I need to get back into reading again but I’m finding it too hard to concentrate... now I know how the kids feel at school!

I can’t walk very far anymore, and I get exhausted really quickly just doing normal daily tasks like loading the dishwasher. It’s frustrating but I just need to accept it.

Guinea pig

I saw my consultant last week and he told me he didn’t know what to do with me because he hadn’t had a case like mine before where someone seems so well after repeated hospitalisation for a severe infection. So he gave me the option of trying chemo again, as I hadn’t been on it for long enough the last time to see if it was having an effect. I said yes because I’d rather be trying something than nothing. So I have become a bit of guinea pig, remaining on the long term antibiotics as well as trying the chemo again. 

Nothing will change prognosis-wise as they have no idea what will happen. But I had my chemo yesterday, and other than no sleep due to severe stomach spasms, I haven’t had any ill effects so far.

They are all doing the best they can and throwing everything they can at me, which is all I can ask for.

Bring on some good days.