That’s all good advice Annie and I will try following it. My whole tummy had been in discomfort for a while. I think because the radiation firstly affects the lower stomach, which then leads to problems further up.
We have a friend (the lady I used to help on the allotment) who is a pretty good soup and pie maker using produce from her allotment. She brought me round some leek and potato soup that tasted good. She adds a nice flavour to it one way or another. I just had some for lunch and it went down well.
Mrs mart is the backbone of the house at present. I have to try and stop her doing too much. She still has the unnamed chest condition and still coughs sometimes but her voice is fully back. Strangely enough, I think the situation with me may have done some good. Her muscles too had wasted because of the 7 weeks of hospital but even so, she now feels she should do the caring. This has been quite physical and constant at times and it might have helped some physical fitness to return.
I think you are right Bob. The treatments are worse than the cancer itself but I think refusal to have them (I did consider it) would probably mean the pain of the cancer would eventually overtake the pain of the treatment that tries to stop it. All very marginal on the doses as you say. Also, I thought I owed it to my friends and family to try and stick around for as long as I can.
I’m sure age makes a difference. If I was 61 instead of 81, I’m sure my body would have tolerated treatment better. I remember saying to the surgeon who removed my kidney when I was 40, “I’m surprised how quickly I have got over the operation” The cuts were huge too. Much more extensive than they would be today. He said it was because I was young (not that I thought 40 was young at the time ) and that it would be a different story for and old man.
I have, in the past been somewhat cavalier towards my meds and exercise regime Mart, but in your place, I would have certainly taken the treatment whatever the pain and suffering. You are correct in your assertion that we owe it to our friends and family and do whatever it takes to extend our lives to the max, I just hope that in the same situation I would be as positive and brave as you have been.
Soup is brilliant Mart, a good variety of vitamins and minerals in an easy to digest broth.
I have soup for lunch with a slice of buttered toast on most weekdays.
Yes, she is a really fine soup maker and general cook. All those years of digging, planting, weeding and fence-making over on her allotment finally paid off! Just joking. Herself and husband have been good friends of ours for over forty years. They have been so helpful and supportive to us over this period of troubles.
The Radio Therapy for Prostate cancer hasn’t gone down all that well with me. It might have been better to go straight for Chemotherapy but what do I know? My lower daily body functions have suffered and I think this has affected my upper stomach. Nothing is coming out of the lower part and a feeling of sickness if I try and put food or liquid into the upper part. My entire torso was quite painful last night, including a lower back ache.
I’m not sure if I’ll be fit enough to start the Chemotherapy next week. I hope I will be. I wonder if poor innards movement is lack of exercise. The trouble is that the more lousy I feel, the less I feel like moving about. A slippery slope indeed.
I wish I could say I felt good but I don’t …and haven’t for a few days. After days of being bunged up and sick, the doctor came to see me and declared I was full of it, much as a few people suspected in years gone by I don’t know where from as I haven’t been eating much. He put me on a high dose of liquid laxative. Enough stayed down for it to eventually do its job …over and over again in the coming days. I thought that might make me want to drink and eat but it hasn’t. I still don’t fancy eating and have to be careful how much drink I gulp down in one go. It can come straight back up. I know I’m dehydrated.
I don’t know what the cause is. Whether it’s the cancer itself, the after effects of the Radio Therapy or just one thing causing another. I’m going to see the Oncology Assessment Nurse this afternoon to see if I’m OK enough to start Chemotherapy on Thursday. I hope I can manage the journey there and back feeling fairly OK. Our Son is doing the driving.
Mart they should really admit you to hospital to put you on a food drip and monitor and assess what’s causing this, but understand why you might not want that.
My friend who had cancer a couple of years ago had a similar problem but that was during chemo. If you feel like this now it’s probably not a good time to start such an aggressive treatment. You need to regain your strength first. What did the nurse say today?
It must be very difficult to have to manage both this and dealing with the bag. Mrs Mart must be worried.
A blood test was done today. It will say if I’m up to the treatment. The way the whole programme is monitored seems very thorough and can always be tailored to responses of the patient, so I am going to start it unless today’s test results say that I shouldn’t. The lower stomach pains could still be side effects of the Radio Therapy. A Phyllis Tuckwell Nurse is coming here to asses my condition tomorrow.
Hi Sir mart. As you know I have now had a few weeks of the radio therapy. As part of that is blood tests three times a week just keep it check. Don’t you get similar?
I will do while treatment is ongoing but not three times a week. I can book a blood test at anytime with Swift Queue but the requirement for the Chemo course is to have one just before each 3 weekly session. However, if there is any concern, they can be more frequent.
This is Mrs M typing. Mart managed to go for his appointment but the next day was taken into hospital. They have tried to manage his condition but this morning we were told by the consultant that they had done all they can and it is now palliative care. I don’t think Mart will be coming home, he will go from the hospital to the hospice.
So I think I am signing out for Mart and thanking you all for your best wishes over the time that Mart has been unwell.
Thank you and Goodbye
) and that it would be a different story for and old man.