I saw my Consultant today who said that there was nothing to worry about going by the results of my CT scan last week.
I’m still awaiting my PET scan appointment on the 23rd then I see the Consultant again on the 30th. He’s hoping that the small mass the MRI picked up is just scar tissue. I certainly hope so.
A strange couple of things happened on the way home. I hailed a taxi, a pretty old model and I chatted to the driver who said that it was fifteen years old. Then, steam/oil started to come out of its bonnet and she had to stop and phoned her partner and the garage. She poured some water into it and, meanwhile, called me another taxi as I was only half-way home.
This taxi arrived, took me home but his card reader wasn’t working and I had no cash. Each time he tried to connect it wouldn’t. So he drove me to the nearest cash machine but that was out of order, too. He asked me why I couldn’t go into the bank and withdraw cash, and I explained to him that it was the Royal Bank whereas I’m with the TSB. In the end he had no choice but to let the fare go unpaid. Then I had to walk home from the cash machine.
I’ve been feeling lousy all day with back pain and tiredness. So tired that I went to bed at noon again and feel like I’m going to have an early night. I couldn’t be bothered shaving today but will tomorrow as I have an early doctor’s appointment on Monday.
Ffosse, it’s still early days and I’m sure there will be good and bad days. I still have bad days, but some are good too. And I finished chemo three months ago. Go with the flow for now…
Yes, Saturday and Sunday were bad days for exhaustion and my sore back. I don’t think I’ve slept so much in a long time.
I saw my G.P. at 8:15 this morning (I had no problem waking up at 6) and she renewed my prescriptions for another 4 weeks.
I mentioned the tiredness to me and she suggested that since I don’t have any back pain when lying down then it is kind of natural to want to be in bed. That doesn’t explain the exhaustion all the time, though. I’m getting further and further away from my last chemo but I suppose I’ll just have to be patient and wait.
She encouraged me to take little walks (not so easy when it’s pouring with rain like today) and to try and build up my strength. I don’t get out much and am a bit preoccupied with my back pain, not taking too many tablets or the liquid morphine unless it’s absolutely necessary.
I’m awaiting my PET scan on the 23rd then the results with an appointment with the Consultant on the 30th. That should be my treatment completed with 3 monthly checkups thereafter. I’m crossing my fingers that I won’t develop any new symptoms in the meantime. It would be nice to have an incident-free September, October, November etc.
It’s early days Ffosse, I think the chemo hangs around for quite a while but slowly you should start to feel a bit better. Your symptoms are very similar to mine, I find myself going back to bed two or three times in the day, I’m just so exhausted. I’m at the hospital or doctor’s every day this week, CT scan tomorrow, so will be glad when it’s over. Take care Ffosse, you’ll get there!
I agree with what Val says. The chemo effects linger for much longer than you might expect. I think you just have to accept that and go with the flow for a while.
Hope the CT scan goes well for you Val, and same for Ffosse’s PET scan.
I woke up at 7. By noon I went back to bed and woke up at 4:30. I’m pretty much guaranteed to sleep tonight, too.
I wish this pattern would come to an end. Last week I felt that my energy was returning but this week I’m exhausted. I know it’s the same for you, too, Val J.
It’s not even as if I’ve had anything to do; I visited my doctors and the local Co-Op yesterday.
Feeling a little better today although I woke at 4:30. I must have slept too much yesterday, going back to bed a couple of times.
My mind is on my PET scan and what time I’ll need to leave the house. It is around 6 miles away so I’m thinking I’ll get a taxi some 45 minutes earlier. The place where it’s at is not part of the hospital but a separate building so I’m not sure exactly where it is in relation to the hospital. I’ve downloaded a map but that’s not much help as I’m completely unfamiliar with that hospital. Still, it’s next Thursday; no point in getting bogged down with the details this early…the taxi driver will know where it is.
I’m a bit more cheerful despite the fact that I really need to do some ironing. Only a couple of shirts and 3 pairs of trousers. I’ll set aside some time this morning for that.
I’m still in a lot of pain with my back, but only when I’m not lying down so I’ve been taking more of the painkillers as needed. It seems as though they make me drowsy but don’t really take the pain away.
I’ll survive, though, and am looking forward to the Autumn. I seem to prefer that time once the Summer and the Edinburgh Festival is done with. The kids went back to school last Tuesday and I can hear them as they flock to the shop below me at break times and lunch.
I missed you yesterday Dreamy.
I was worried, but understand that you are feeling very fatigued.
Try not to worry too much, that in itself is draining.
Our children do not return to school until next month, I didn’t know that term times were different in Scotland.
Try not to worry about the PET scan. What will be will be, worry or not.
I’ve got an ultrasound scan on a suspect node on Monday, but quite certain it is not sinister in nature so quite laid back about it. Tuesday another infusion and another clinic appointment. Then nothing until September. Yay!
Having said that, my current problem is a tablet which seems to be pushing me down mentally. If it continues to do so I revisit the question of quality vs quantity of life and decide if I should stop taking it.
I’ve got a lot more energy today - I was able to walk to the Co-Op and back easily and could have walked much farther. This must be one of my good days. I don’t get out much since this illness started and I’ve stopped ordering from Tesco as I don’t want any perishables to go off in my fridge if I’m suddenly taken to hospital.
But I’ve been feeling pretty good when I wake up - no more infections for now at least.
