Well what a week! I had the chemotherapy at the second attempt but it was still fun! Of course my veins don't ever want to co-operate. 4 attempts later and they did get some blood to test and I was left with 4 bruises on my left arm, one of which appears to travel down a vein leaving a nice elongated mark. Of course there was the essential urine test. The first being from the bag was too contaminated so this had to be taken from before the bag, as directly from the catheter as possible. A nurse was told to use a syringe on the valve, but I didn't realise it would leave a small hole in the valve. It wasn't until I stood up later that I noticed the damp patch [damp? It was more wet!], and, as is my want, I changed into my baggy, thin cotton trousers as soon as I returned home and so ended the day very soggily as well as bruised.
Fitting the cannula was awkward, and these were nurses who only did that all day, all week. A very tall surgical registrar wandered into the ward at that point and was instantly persuaded by the nursing staff to do the job, much blood everywhere later the cannula was fitted and taped into place.
The royal blue coloured infusion began. It probably took about two hours to drip into my vein [my watch needs a battery] then it was replaced by a bag of steroid solution so about 5 hours after I had first set out I was home and very tired. There were some people who had brought their partners but the said partners just sat patiently and read their newspaper. I couldn't help wondering just why they were there.
When I was finished infusing an appointment was made for 1 month later. Apparently the course consists of once a month for three months and then every three months until next April.
Luckily because the chemotherapy is only a weak solution the only side-effect, apart from the bruises, is bright green urine that fascinated me! I don't think people who haven't got a collection bag get the full effect of this colour change. They don't know what they are missing!
Unfortunately, my bladder spasm medication stopped working at the same time, I thought it just needed time to settle down but no, it got worse. The doctor has changed my medication and I hope it works because the local pharmacy that I use has changed their policy so do not deliver prescriptions unless requested by the doctor, [which it was] yet it still took 2 days to reach me!
So it is all quiet on the medical front at the moment until I go to see the vampire darts team in mid June. I am still falling to my right and waiting for the equipment and adaptations team to do the assessment with regard to the wheelchair etc, They gave me a date of July so I will have to see and miss all the decent weather,
