Category Archives: hospitals

it’s gone

12 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by in cancer, chemo, home, hope, hospitals

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prep room

The prep-room at the hospital. My appointment was at 3.00 today and l arrived right on time, expecting to wait at least an hour before my name was called. Five minutes later l was undressing in the prep-room and waiting for the nurse to stick a shunt in my hand (just in case). Turns out all the prep (blood test, no eating, NO WATER for 8 hours) was just in case that happily wasn’t necessary. There was some serious stabby pain when the local anaesthetic was jabbed into my chest, but other than that it was a breeze. The whole procedure took about seven minutes.

My only regret was that I didn’t get a photo of my ex-port lying in the pan. After all, we’d lived together for almost six years. In fact, I asked after I’d got dressed again and the nurse said “oooh, you should have asked straight away, we’ve thrown it into the bin now”. Apparently they didn’t think this was a weird request. In fact, I’d had a couple of other questions for them, prefacing with “I hope you don’t mind…” and they were lovely. The surgeon said there were no silly questions and that it was important that I felt at ease. ALL women on this team today. Not to say that men can’t be understanding, but when you’re yanking something out from between someone’s breasts I’m guessing there’s just a bit more empathy there with women.

First thing I did after I got out of there was drink two huge glasses of water. And this evening I’m just chillin’ at home with the cats and feeling so glad to have this over and done with. Until October. Turns out I only get a 6 month hospital break this time after all (the 6-month PET would’ve been in March) but if all goes well in October then I will get an entire year off from hospital visits. Wow. Seriously wow.

it’s coming out!

09 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by in cancer, chemo, hope, hospitals

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chemo-portI got the call today!

On Thursday afternoon they’re taking out the chemo port. And, like, wow… I don’t even know how to feel about that. I mean, it’s good timing as I would have had to go and get the damn thing flushed out this week anyhow. Though as it is I’ll have to make an extra hospital trip tomorrow to get blood work done so they can check coagulation. I remember when I had it put in, not thinking twice about it because the idea of having any more chemo pumped through my poor hand veins was more than I could bear. So even when the chemo port “post-op” proved a bit more painful than I’d expected, well, it was nothing compared to the alternative.

Of course now I’m all nervous. And almost afraid to give it up, you know, just in case. It’s like I’m tempting fate or something, like it’s too hard to really believe that IT won’t come back. Anyhow, my appointment is for 3 pm on Thursday. Can’t eat after 7 am, which won’t be a problem. But they told me I can’t even drink water. I don’t remember that from last time. No water?? I need to find someone to come with me as I’ll be sedated and have a local anaesthetic so may be woozy afterwards. And then I’ll go home. And I won’t have a chemo port in my chest anymore. Huh?

next oncology appointment is…

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by in cancer, change, home, hope, hospitals

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next oncology appointment

Today I had to see my oncologist. My previous oncology appointment was on November 24th. At the time I already knew my PET scan had come back clean, but had to visit the onc to figure out what to do next, having reached the all-important 5-year cancer-free anniversary. Turned out I had to have another colonoscopy done first, which also came back with the ALL CLEAR. So I wasn’t too worried going to see the oncologist today. And in fact, it was one of the least stressful hospital visits ever. There was some discussion as to whether I’d continue to get PET scans, or “downgrade” to CT scans… and so far it looks like I’ll continue with PET scans. But just once a year now, rather than every six months. So I will probably have the next PET scan early October and then see the oncologist again on the 15th (the appointment is already fixed). And… well, it feels AMAZING that I won’t be going through scanxiety again in March or April. I don’t think I’ll ever feel “out of the woods”, but this is a very welcome break.

Now I’m just waiting to have the chemo port taken out. Gawd knows I’ve been living with that long enough, along with the monthly trips to the hospital to get it cleaned out. So today I also popped over to the Pain Clinic to see where I was in line. I knew back in November that it would be a bit of a wait as those needing ports have priority over those wanting them out, and rightly so. But it looks like there are only half a dozen people ahead of me now, so it should happen within the next month or so.

it’s takes a professional

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by in cancer, hospitals, sevilla

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syringe
Anyone who has followed the whole cancer thing knows that I have very hard-to-find veins. They are not only very fine, but I’m told they have a tendency to roll (!) when found, and of course being FAT doesn’t help. Most of the time nurses take one look at my inner arms and go straight for the hands. Which 1) hurt like hell and 2) also have very few vein options left as most of the surface ones were destroyed by chemo. So going for a simple blood test isn’t so simple. Also, unlike most of you guys, I end up having to have blood drawn several times a year.

This morning I had to go for another blood test even though my last one was in October, because I’m seeing the oncologist next week to decide on future monitoring (will it be PET scans once a year now instead of every six months?). I came out of the October session completely battered and bruised after several failed attempts. And – sorry guys! – it is almost always male nurses who can never seem to find a vein (with the exception of One-Poke Manolo). So my heart lifted when I saw two women doing the job today and, sure enough, after having a feel around my right arm, then trying my left, the nurse found a vein not visible to the naked eye and was in and out in no time. I don’t even have a bruise – which is as it should be. Last time both my hands were bruised, swollen and painful for days.

Small mercies. I’ll take em!