Thursday 5 December 2013

Chemo And Scan Result

The district nurse came and changed my dressings at 10, we had planned to leave at 11 to get up to Newcastle with time and meet up with Andrea.  Best laid plans of mice and men!  The nurse left then suddenly the door bell went again, he had come back to say one of our trees had blown over but had brought all the power cables down!  It was 10.45, the news said that part of the M1 was closed so we would need to go a different way.  But we had problems, Gary phoned the national grid to report it, the police arrived but we needed to go, we left the police, the tree across the road and the power cables dangling, one of our neighbours came over and said he would wait then chop the tree up when they moved it.

Once on the M1 the traffic was moving so we went the normal way, it was bad up till Washington with the wind but the rain kept coming and going.  We got to the hospital for 12 and only a short wait until Dr H called us in.  The chemo is being lifted and a scan to be organised for just before Christmas.  He was happy with the blood results, actually so was I, my white blood count has come back down.

We then discussed the scan, not the best news I have ever heard for a long time.  A new tumour has appeared 6cm nodal mass around the subcarinal location, this is where the tube separates to go left and right into each lung.  This knocked me back but explains the heaviness in my centre chest.  I have some fluid around the pericardium, but I knew that from the pains I have.  Funnily my stomach doesn't give any pain yet I have modular peritoneal thickening and lots around the pelvic area. I also have a mass on the bottom part of the stomach.  My left lung seems stable but right has had many changes.

Dr H asked the chemo lounge if they could pull my 2pm appointment forward due to us having our electric problem!  The downside of this was I had planned to meet Andrea at the hospital for a chat. Thankfully we did meet but it was a much shorter visit than I had hoped.  It was great to see her and she had made such an effort to come out in the cold weather to meet up and we had to cut the visit so short.  Gary was that preoccupied with the crisis at home he just wanted to get back, I didn't even think to ask Andrea if she had a car as we parted, I pray she hadn't walked over.

We got home to see the tree had been moved from the road and dumped on the grass verge but oh no the cables are still dangling over the drive way and pulling from the pylon that sits in the front garden.  We have power but our poor next door neighbour has none, they are OAP's but didn't report no power thinking the police had handled it.  To be honest I didn't think about it until I got in the house and had Gary ring them.  We rang and asked the power company what was happening and were told there were some major jobs come in.  Just hope they don't come between 6 and 10 otherwise we will have no power and no warmth.  I have told Gary we should invite our neighbours if they don't get power but he is afraid in case they have colds etc.

So fingers crossed they arrive soon and fix it so everyone is warm tonight.  Meanwhile I have to go back out to see the heart man so will finish today when I get back.

Heart rate at the Freeman today was 127 but tonight it was back down to 97, still higher than the normal especially with a ing low BP but no real concern.  I will have a cardiac test done next Wednesday, can't remember the proper name.  Mainly to check the fluid around the pericardium isn't impinging on the heart itself.  I could have gone tomorrow but I am shattered.

I have just read about Steve, both he and Linda have a lot to digest and which option they will take up.  Once into the 5 year journey decisions do become harder.  My heart goes out to them as I know from my own journey.  A couple of times I have held back a few months but you have no idea which route to take.  


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