A very different weekend

Thankfully, the pain and swelling in my left arm have subsided dramatically and this weekend we set out to complete Reuben's birthday celebration. We went to Borough Market for 'brunch' which was what he wanted to do last Saturday but held off so that I could go as well.
It was a glorious day and we walked along the river, stopping for an ice cream outside the Royal Festival hall and crossing the river to catch the train home from Charing Cross.

Face book photo.


I was exhausted when we finally got home and had to 'power down' for a couple of hours. I think its too early for the chemotherapy to affect my levels of fatigue, but I am still a little tender from the operation. I suspect its this and the remnants of recovering from the DVT that made me feel so tired.
Also this weekend I had brief period (less than 24 hours) of diarrhoea, I'm not sure what caused it but I drank quite a lot of carbonated drink on Saturday and I think this may have been the cause; I was warned against drinking carbonated drinks when I initially had the stoma.

Had a disappointment this week when I went for a medical for work, I was hoping to be signed off as fit for light duties. Alas that wasn't to be I am still sick pending specialist reports and have another medical on the 10th July, I will have completed 3 cycles of chemotherapy by then and will have a better long term understanding of how it affects me.

Yesterday (Thursday) I started my second cycle with the infused oxaliplatin conventionally through a cannula in my right arm. It wasn't painful just vaguely uncomfortable towards the end, I think I will use this method throughout the remainder of my treatment as it is the less complicated way of administering this drug. The initial side effects are the same as previously, initially extreme sensitivity to cold with pins and needles plus pins and needles in my arm where the drug went in, I expect this to dissipate within 5 to 6 days tailing off completely by about 8. It is all manageable and this time I have a drug (omeprazole) to counter the unpleasant indigestion and hiccoughs I had before. I take the anti sickness tablets religiously as prescribed for the first 3 days following treatment but trail them off to nothing by the 5th day they are very effective.

I feel fully recovered with no pain from the DVT and am still self administering Fragmin through injection every evening, this will be reviewed by my oncologist at 28 days but I suspect that I will end up with at least another month of injections. I am beginning to feel like a pin cushion!

I am beginning to develop a taste for the classics, I am well into the second book of Don Quixote and on recommendation I will download Voltaire's Candide to my Kindle. By coincidence I had previously heard a review of this book on Radio four's book programme.

This coming week we are going down to Croyde for the half term, I had hoped to get some surfing in myself but have had to shelve that plan for now (Bogus!). However, like any other over bearing Dad I am going to try and indoctrinate the kids with lessons and bribes to get them on a board (they're not keen and the water will be cold). We intend to have a very relaxed time and we are all looking forward to it.