To be honest, I'm sure other people must be born on the same day, it hardly seems conclusive proof of identity...
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| Nurses Beth, Lauren and Louie serenading me at 7am! |
Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You...
Does everybody who has a birthday on the ward get this treatment? The night staff - or three of them at least, Beth, Lauren and Little Louie - arrived bearing balloons to decorate the walls and Horace, plus a birthday banner, a badge that I "must wear all day without fail" and a cheery song! How touching is that? Thanks, guys. And you made over 90 'likes' on facebook!
The Curate's Egg
My official birthday (I've decided to have several this year, like the Queen) was a Curate's Egg Day: good in parts. Highlights included a long visit from Sally in the morning bearing cards and gifts, including a cake made by David Robinson using a current brew of Flower Pots Porter;
being allowed to part company with Horace long enough to change my shirt and have a quick wash; and a visit from Zoe and Cassie - although it has to be said that the visit was very nearly completely spoilt for all of us by the arrival at 3pm (when visiting hours officially start) of two porters to take me for a chest X-Ray. Zoe was very understanding and they came down with me and back. Then came a series of other interruptions for blood tests, injections, swabs and a particular duty doctor who seems to take pleasure in interrupting anything that looks dangerously like a social get-together.
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| Sally and me - one of the big highlights of the day. Oh, and Horace. |
As is the norm these days, my day starts fine and gradually deteriorates so that by 6pm and food arrives, I neither have the inclination nor the appetite to eat another large meal. I am just not using up any calories and can't taste a lot in any case (one of the side effects of chemo). So it was that on Thursday, feeling particularly down, unsociable and not wanting to do anything except hibernate, I made the error of ordering a chicken mayonnaise sandwich imagining something like the kind of scrummy coronation chicken sandwich I often make for myself. What arrived were two thin slices of indifferent bread with a dry slice of horrible processed chicken between them. Live and learn.
To completely over-compensate for my birthday supper I ordered pizza and chips. Can't really go wrong there, can we? Or course we can. It hadn't arrived by half an hour after everyone else had had theirs, so on querying, they eventually found my meal on a trolley and presented my with it. I don't mind cold pizza as a rule but I do draw the line at cold chips. Shame the ice cream that followed wasn't cold as well!
Making Progress
Treatment wise I am making progress. The Methotrexate left in my system is almost down to where they want it to be so am only on the fluids a bit longer, certainly overnight. I have been given 6 litres a day since Sunday night.
I have started the growth factor to replenish my depleted white blood cells. I've had two blood transfusions so my haemoglobin levels are up again, and on Saturday morning had platelets to top those up as well.
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| One very swollen hand on the end of a very swollen arm. |
My problem now is the blood clot in my left arm is still there (and will continue to be until the anticoagulant injections start to break it down) which in turn is preventing the excess fluids circulating my arm properly, causing swelling down to my fingers. I'm awfully glad that I saw it coming and removed my wedding ring a bit sharpish. Whilst on the fluids this is just exacerbating the problem and I can do little except take paracetamol and keep my arm elevated ( great for the arm, not so clever for the blog).
Saturday breakfast saw me crack open the delicious ginger jam Zoe gave me yesterday, and also the end of my constant relationship with Horace and fluids - for this treatment at least. By late afternoon I have noticed a slight improvement in the arm and a more specific antibiotic has been prescribed, as they acknowledge there is also an infection around the site of the old line which may in turn have affected my temperature, thus occasionally delaying treatment like blood transfusions.
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| Now this may come in handy soon. |
They came bearing gifts!
Sally, Lizzie and Matt arrived mid Saturday morning bearing more cards and gifts, including a great alpine hat for when I lose my hair, new slippers, John Cleese's autobiography and glove/mits for when I get home. Sally, meanwhile came bearing clean shirts and stuff - the essentials. I am so grateful she is there to look after me like this; it can't be much fun travelling up and down to Southampton, often at peak times on busy roads. She's so patient, too.
A lovely hour or so with them and then - lunch! Fisherman's pie, although I think the main ingredient was potato. At least it arrived hot and on time.
To round the day off, Nick, Marion and Anna Symes arrived early afternoon and we had a good long chinwag/catch up. I am feeling so much better today without all that poison in my system. It makes conversations easier and simple things like entertaining less tiring and much more enjoyable. I must remember those dodgy days for the next time I have this treatment.
Practice makes perfect.
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