Science Friction

Good news bad news

I was supposed to be out on Friday night or Saturday morning but circumstances have consipired against me. The good news is the first batch of chemotherapy is over and I'll have a two week rest before the next batch. The bad news is I had a few setbacks during the week. I had a dilation procedure on Tuesday and that seemed to improve my swallow, at least as far as water went that evening. However, the effects seemed to have worn off by the following day, although maybe I was too ambitious trying to have a boiled egg for breakfast and some mince for lunch. The mince blocked me up completely and it was Friday before I was able to take regular sips of water again.

The fact that I wasn't getting fluids or nourishment worried the doctors and on Friday they told me I would have to stay a few more days. They didn't specify how long. Then later that afternoon, while trying to take some medication, I coughed up some blood, which scared me, I can tell you. The doctor said not to panic, oesophogeal tumours do that from time to time. However, I was fitted with a canula in case I needed an emergency blood transfusion and a blood sample was taken. They also cancelled my radiotherapy that day. Fortunately, there hasn't been a recurrence.

Good to go

I just called St Luke's. They do indeed have a bed for me so I'll be heading down there later this morning. No more updates from me until next weekend.

Bugger

They've cancelled the stent procedure. When I hadn't heard from St Vincent's by almost 10am I rang to be told they couldn't get a bed after all and it now looks like the earliest they can do it is Tuesday. Hopefully it won't affect the start of my chemo.

Another phone call

This time from St Vincent's. They're going to try and get me in to the day ward tomorrow and insert a stent into my oesophagus tomorrow. This will hopefully improve my swallow which is has been steadily deteriorating to the point where I have difficulty swallowing liquids much thicker than water. There are risks involved but they feel they're worth taking as my weight has been dropping rapidly and my blood test shows my hemoglobin levels are low.

Maybe Monday, maybe not

St Luke's rang this afternoon. My treatment is provisionally booked to start Monday. However, there has been an outbreak of the so called Winter Vomiting Bug in one of the wards which is affecting bed availability so there's no guarantee that a bed will be available which is why they're saying 'provisionally.' But at least it won't be before then.

This is where I've been

create your own visited countries map or vertaling Duits Nederlands

When all of this cancer business is over I'm going to make an effort to add more red to that map.

More delays

I was called back into St Luke's yesterday to meet with the Oncologist. As it turned out I didn't need to meet him as he'd already seen me in St Vincent's but I did meet his registrar, who is also the registrar for the radio-oncologist. She informed me that I would have to be hospitalised for the four days of chemotherapy as each dose requires 20 hours to administer. Not only that but she wasn't sure when my radiotherapy would begin as she hadn't seen the results of my simulation and had not yet planned my treatment. Once that's done it's a question of waiting for a bed.

I also have to undergo a 24 hour urine collection. They want to make sure my kidneys can handle the chemotherapy. They took a blood sample and sent me home with a jug and a bottle and told me to bring it back today. At least now I have a pot to piss in.

Finally a timetable

St Luke's called this afternoon. My treatment won't actually start until next Monday but they want me to come in tomorrow morning to meet my Oncologist.

Progress

I had my simulation today. Basically they had me lie down under a machine that simulates my radio therapy, had me drink some barium and then they marked a grid on my chest. So we're all set to go. Apparently, I to start my treatment early next week. Woo hoo.

Things start moving

Two weeks and one day after my discharge from St Vincent's Hospital, St Luke's Hospital, where I am to receive my pre-operative treatments, finally rang to call me in for my 'simulation.' This is where they take measurements of my body to determine the exact dosages of radiation that I will receive. All being well, the actual treatments should start shortly thereafter.