The taxi fare to the hospital and back wasn’t too bad - cheaper than I thought it would be.
As regards the procedure, the hour’s wait after the injection of the radioactive liquid was a bit boring but passed quickly.
Going under the scanner took another half hour and I was slightly anxious as it’s not so open as a CT scan, but nowhere near as bad as an MRI. I se my Consultant next Thursday and he should have the results. I really hope everything is OK.
I’ve been awake since 6am and finally had a coffee and some chocolate at 1pm when I got back.
I’m fine, more energy, but still a bit fatigued and prone to going to bed in the afternoons.
The pain in my back and neck is the worst thing, though. I see my G.P. on Monday.
I’ll feel happier after I’ve seen the Consultant on Thursday and he has the results of my PET scan.
Cancer is scary, though, and I don’t think I’ve fully processed what my body has gone through. A podcaster I liked has just died aged 53 after 9 months of brain cancer. Depressing, but I suppose it can happen to anyone. I have to hold on to the thought that while mine is incurable at least it is treatable.
Curiously, some months ago, my G.P. started a discussion about hospice care and what I thought. I’m not sure why she did this. Maybe my cancer is more dangerous than I’m led to believe. Still, I just take each day as it comes although all my days are about the same with my not getting out much. I did have a longish walk around the hospital on Thursday, though, the grounds and inside by the shops before I found the taxi rank. It’s a much bigger hospital than my normal one.
The taxi was the kind that was cash only - I hate those but luckily there is an atm in the shop below me so was able to get cash there.
I remember you saying about the Hospice. Try not to dwell on what might or might not happen.
I think out Taxis only take cash, although I have some tokens still valid.
Thanks for the update.
Today I had a visit from the MacMillan cancer people at 10am to offer me some support and see what they could do for me. I hardly slept the night before - just a couple of hours, awakening at 4am.
It turns out that they feel I need some more longer term support so are going to refer me to another organisation. I could probably have benefited more from their short term support right after I came out of hospital and while I was being constantly readmitted for infections. Still, it’s good that they care.
I slept from noon until 6pm so don’t expect much sleep tonight and tomorrow at 10:30 I have to go to the hospital to get my PET scan results. I tell myself that I’m not worried; what will be will be, but am probably nervous underneath it all.
If I don’t sleep it’s not the end of the world. I’ll just get my usual taxi to the clinic there and know exactly where I’m going. A friend is going to ring me at 8am just in case I’m asleep, though.
I hope this is the end of my second cancer ordeal, at least for now. It would be nice to have a few healthy months ahead. I’m still not getting out much but did manage a 2 mile walk to Argos and back on Monday. I was physically tired but my mind was clear - no anxiety.
Great news - my PET scan was clear, no tumours or anything nasty lurking in my body. I hardly slept last night and to get this news I’m over the moon.
I’ve still to get my 3 monthly checkups; and, in addition, every 2 months I’ll get an injection of Rituximab into my stomach. This is a drug known to keep cancers at bay with non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma sufferers.
So I look forward to the coming months. I need to get out more and get more exercise in general. I’m also revamping my diet to include a wide variety of healthy foods including grapefruit seed extract and nuts - all healthy things.
I’m so happy and the staff said that I’d handled this illness very well which made me feel a little proud.
I’m about to do a Tesco online shop and will be sure to add plenty of fruit and veg.
I went out for a walk to the chemist and it was pouring; luckily I had my umbrella with me. I still don’t have much energy walking, but i’m told it can take months and months to get over the kind of chemotherapy I had. I still wish I wasn’t quite so fatigued.
But I’m getting better - I know I am.
I subscribed to NHS Scotland’s new letter system. This means that I receive emails instead of letters. The email directs me to a PDF of the letter. My next appointment with the Consultant is on 13th December. This kind of reassures me, knowing that I needn’t worry about important letters getting lost in the post.
I still keep 2 packed bags of clothing and other items just in case I have to immediately go to Ward 2 (the haematology ward) at short notice, but I’m getting less worried as time goes on. I did have a cluster of admissions when I had constant infections but, thankfully, I haven’t been in hospital since late July. I miss wearing some of those clothes though so will have to rotate them, what’s in the bag and what I have in my wardrobe.
That is all good news Dreamy. You are now planning your life again.
I can understand that you are still nervous about being re-admitted, it happened a fair bit.
I’m sure as time goes on you will regain your strength and be able to once more enjoy life.
Take care my lovely friend.
I plan on staying up tonight and watching Big Brother’s new show. Utter rubbish to many but I quite enjoyed the recent celebrity one. Plus it’s the last ever Big Brother. Channel 5 haven’t renewed it due to low audience figures. I quite like getting to know the characters and enjoy its dramatic moments.
Still I haven’t got back into reading too much. I’ve got hundreds of unread books on my iPad. It’s a concentration thing. TV is played out for you; with reading you have to make an effort and set aside time. I will get back into it, though.
I’ve already been out today to sell a phone - the shop was a new one specialising in electronics and repairing screens.
I got far more for my iPhone 8 than I anticipated, and I noticed that he also bought bluetooth earphones so I’m going to make a second trip out to sell my Airpods and a second B & O pair. I love money.
