Food and Drink

The pain in my groin has subsided but remains as a dull ache, I've found that drinking copious amounts of water seems to help. I don't know why maybe it changes the physical dynamics in the pelvic area but it definitely does, I'm drinking about 2 litres a day. I still feel dehydrated occasionally and need the rehydration drinks as well as plain water.

My level of fatigue has also reduced over the last 10 days, I still have a power nap during the day but it is getting shorter. That said, I missed a huge chunk of Christmas day to sleep and I was too tired to go to the pantomime with Mum and Dad, Stella, Martha and Tallulah on Boxing day. My eyes still water and are generally a bit sensitive to the light but all these side effects are as predicted by the team at the Oncology department.

Christmas morning we all decamped to Hannah's flat for Breakfast (strange, her Boyfriend must have arrived remarkably early?). It was great and as usual she had spread a cornucopia of delights, it was a good start to the day. Lunch was back at our house and this was restricted to those still living in the house (just the 6 of us).

I have been a long time reader of 'Bike'  magazine and, while opening the presents after lunch, Stella presented me with a package which contained a card and 3 wrapped Tee shirts from the magazine. I read the card and choked up and had to compose myself before I could read it out to the rest of the family. Jemima had written to the magazine explaining my situation, telling them of my devotion to that august publication, in the hope that they would publish the letter and I would read it in the following month's issue. They couldn't but wanted to do something and this is what they did. I intend to wear one in Nice and send them a photo and covering email.

Me in my Bike Tee shirt in Nice.


Boxing day my Parents came to us for lunch and the Pantomime and as mentioned earlier I was too tired to go. Lunch was great though.

All our children, other halves and Grand children came  us on the 27th, sadly, due to sickness (and rows) some the other halves and one of the Grand children couldn't make it, only 15 for lunch then.
Generally, Christmas is a very food and drink time for us and this Christmas has followed that trend.

Stella is ironing her clothes for Nice, placing them carefully in the case, and throwing my 'T's in , I must admit I am really looking forward to the (too short) break its a chance for both of us to recharge for the New Year.

Twas the night before Christmas...........

I've just finished reading the night before Christmas to Martha, the only child who wants to listen now. Most of the older children are having a debauched night in the pub or tucking their own children in bed.

This week is the first week without any Radio/Chemo therapy and I have had some of the predicted side effects in the following days. The worst has been a growing ache in my groin/pelvis area, this started last weekend and grew increasing painful reaching a crescendo on Thursday all I could do was go to bed and pop ibuprofen. This pain has subsided largely since Thursday but remains a dull ache, I am hoping this will fade substantially before Stella and I go to Nice.

To celebrate finishing the Nuclear part of my treatment Stella and I went out for lunch at a local fish restaurant on Monday which started with a rather saucy glass of Champagne. Very nice.

I popped into work this week, to Tooting to drop of tins of sweets for the watches and to  Croydon to drop off a card and say hello. The guy filling in for me is young, keen and good at the job (swine!) but at least I know the ship is in good hands. My tins of sweets seem paltry compared with the hamper I received from Tooting but I have given them for many years and they have become a bit of an annual tradition.It was good to catch up with the Red Watch, Tom and Pete.
It was equally good to catch up with everybody at Croydon it was quite emotional and I ended up being there chatting for much longer than I intended.

That was the week that was

Thats it! completed my last Radiotherapy session and have just taken the last of my Chemotherapy medication. I feel quite emotional about it, I'll miss all the crew on LA6 at the Oncology dept. Talking to the Radiotherapist the Radiotherapy has killed off the tumour and the Chemotherapy should prevent 'migration' so only the surgery to go, Bring it on!

In the early hours of Saturday morning a taxi driver, attempting the land speed record for a Skoda, ploughed into Stella's VW Polo pushing it from the kerb side where it was parked, up our drive and into my car. He then proceeded to use two of the neighbour's cars as emergency crash barriers before coming to rest. Obviously his 'chute' failed to deploy! Unbelievably neither the taxi driver or anyone else were injured in this pile up which totalled seven cars.

It's funny I can't recall breaking any mirrors at the beginning of the year but I am not sure we can withstand a further six years bad luck.

Whilst sorting out the torturous labyrinthine insurance process later that morning we received a parcel which Stella thought was a bumper pack of colostomy bags (nice Christmas present!). This turned out to be a rather fantastic Christmas Hamper from all the personnel at Tooting Fire station this utterly changed our mood, what a wonderful thing to do. I intend to pop into the station this week to touch base with everyone and say thanks.

Needless to say we are hoping for a quieter couple of weeks.

Christmas Humbug

Another day another 'zapping' session, only two left now the last four weeks have truly flown by (I have been marking the 'zapping' and drug taking off on an excel spread sheet). Once I have completed the outstanding final segments of this stage I will have completed 50% of my total treatment, it doesn't seem that long ago that, still shell shocked, I crossed the threshold of the Oncology unit at Maidstone hospital. I can't speak highly enough of the staff and treatment I have received at there.

 Once again, today, we met up with a friend mentioned in Stella's earlier comment on this blog, she has a further 6 months of Chemotherapy ahead of her. She remains a truly inspirational character, very positive and resolute her strength gives me strength.

It's Martha's carol service this evening and Stella and I are both going. I am looking forward to it this year which unusual because generally I could be described as a 'Christmas Humbug'.

Finally, I don't usually respond to comments through this blog but, Claire I didn't get your email address with your comment. Yes, you were spot on with my film allusion well done and "Party on". 

Into the final straight....for this stage

This is the last full week of treatment, both Chemo and Radiotherapy. I am feeling increasingly fatigued for more of the day this is the accumulative effect of the Radiotherapy and is far and away the most severe. The Chemo has began to produce another of the predicted side effects of my particular drug, sore and red palms of my hands. Because I can see the finish line I feel I can comfortably bear whatever may come.

I had another meal with work friends Monday evening and had a thoroughly great time, the humour was most definitely "No quarter asked, no quarter given". It's a been a long time since I indulged in such "frank" humour.

Loft

I find my mind is like a loft where everything I need to know is stuffed into bin liners or cardboard boxes (Tea chests sounds more romantic but less accurate), inevitably information I need to hand is always stuffed in the bag/box in the furthest, most inaccessible corner. In this (imaginary) loft there's a door to a dark room marked "What right have you to expect more?". When I feel low this question plays on my mind and the truth is a life lived is a life lived however long or short it may be, it makes a mockery of long term life plans. To coin a phrase from one of my favourite films "Live in the now!".

I received the letters this week with dates for the beginning of the next stage, MRI and CT scans for the week of 30 Jan 2012 and a meeting with the Consultant surgeon on my suitability for surgery on the 9 Feb 2012. Again, I feel both exhilerated and anxious in equal measures at this development.

This week saw the last of my blood tests, this is a huge relief as I get a sweaty upper lip at the very thought of needles entering my veins and drawing out the contents. This condition wasn't helped this week by the Phlebotomist saying "Oh! I've bled you before". My blood count is satisfactory.

I feel as though I could challenge Rip Van Winkle for sleeping. The most usable part of the day for me is the morning I have a nap in the afternoon and get a full 10 hours sleep at night. Talking to the Radiologist this level of fatigue should abate quickly at the end of treatment.

I managed a trip up to London this week to meet some friends from work for a Christmas lunch and although I was back in Sevenoaks by 6:30 in the evening I had a great time. I ate far too much in the 'all you can eat for £4.95' Chinese restaurant and was shattered that night but felt the effort was worth it.
How does anyone drink J2O all night? At the first mouthful I could feel my teeth rotting.

Start of the 4th Week

Start of the 4th week and I managed to get out on my bike today (Monday) after we got back from Hospital. This is the second time I have been out wearing my 'girdle', what a revelation, absolutely no pulling around my stoma I almost felt back to my normal self. I even managed a little tentative off road section on this ride, I still can't go far and use the 'granny' ring to go up hills much more than I would normally. I am determined to be as fit, emotionally and physically, as I possibly can without compromising my health as I am convinced this helps with going through the treatment and recovery.

Last week we saw Tim and Elaine, a couple of our oldest and dearest friends. We don't see each other from year to year but when we do the conversation (and wine) flows as though we'd seen each other yesterday, as usual, we promised to stay in touch and also as usual I suspect we will see them in a year or so's time.

I find I feel increasingly emotional, this was borne out at the weekend which saw the Baptism of one of our Grandaughters, quite naturally, it's becoming rarer to have all the children together at single event these days. Looking around at them all, listening to the boys doing the readings and seeing the fluid ease with which the Grand children could be passed from one to another of the older girls and how natural it all seemed; It suddenly struck me how beautiful they all are, I was overcome with that thought.
I'm not sure if a brush with mortality or a complete realignment of personal priorities can explain this emotional change but I don't think I can go back to the old less emotional self.

I thought I could

Just completed the 13th session of Radiotherapy I am now over half way with 12 to go. I feel like the train in Dumbo pulling the circus through the mountains.
This week has brought colds and a sickness bug into the Day household, I succumbed to both but not so seriously that they affected my treatment. Once again my susceptibility to infection was exposed.
1st December is a 'page turner' in terms of progress through this part of my treatment, not only am I over half way through but this month sees the end of this stage. I definitely feel I can see the finish line and something I only dared to hope for a few weeks ago, a couple of nights away in Nice during Christmas week with Stella. More than me she could do with some well earned 'R&R' this process is pretty intense.