The Home Run

It's been a busy week, filled with some fun and some... not so fun. I had the picc line put in last Tuesday. And I was VERY brave even if I say so myself. It isn't a painful procedure at all but was just slightly uncomfortable for about 24 hours and is still a little bruised. But my god was it worth it! It's amazing how much less stressful chemoclub is (for everyone involved) when there's no needles. The blood sample was taken from the line, so no blood test needle, and obviously no cannula (wahooooo).

Okay, let me just set the scene for last Wednesday. So we arrived at about 10am, and by 2pm the last of the drugs has finished and the line is being flushed. Record Time of 4hrs. Impressive stuff. Mum and Christopher are excited. I decide to go for a quick wee. Wee done, toilet flushed, hands washed, walking back to the bed, and all of a sudden I become aware of how breathless and sweaty I am. I reach my hospital bed just in time as the room starts going a bit speckled (the weird sensation before fainting) and luckily I manage to regain composure. The nurses come in and I'm given oxygen and the doctor is called. 4 hours, a chest x-ray, some antibiotics and a lot of oxygen later.. we got home. Sorry Mum and Christopher!

So, enough drama, basically one of two things had happened. Either the bleomycin, one of the chemotherapy drugs, had caused some damage to my lungs (not uncommon) or I'd got a chest infection. Being myself, I was convinced that I was absolutely fine and convinced the doctor to let me go home with some precautionary antibiotics. End of story. No, just kidding, not the end at all. The antibiotics didn't agree with my tummy the next day so I called the doctor, told him I was feeling much better and he reluctantly said I could stop taking the antibiotics. Cue breathlessness and temperature. The next morning I was whisked back into hospital. I had a CT scan which came up clear but nonetheless was given antibiotics IV (intra-venously) and had a consultation with a specialist lung doctor who suspected the bleomycin had caused slight damage to my lungs as well as the temperature I had spiked. Much to my dismay the hospital still kept me in overnight, but it wasn't too bad as Christopher kindly stayed over with me on a little camp bed and we had a nice evening watching '8 out of 10 cats countdown'. I had a lung function test yesterday to further test my lungs so will hopefully find out soon if I need some steroids which should apparently help repair my lungs (not quite sure how..).

That's the bad part of my week. Other than that I've had fun too! I've watched A LOT of films (Matilda, Contraband, Cinderella Story, Whats Your Number, What Women Want) and went to the cinema to see 'The Heat 'which is absolutely hilarious and had me almost wetting myself laughing. I've also baked some more cupcakes although I don't know why as I never actually eat them. And tomorrow me and my family are travelling down to somerset for a long weekend away. (I'm not allowed to go abroad so somerset will suffice!).

Hair update: I have very little hair left. My once thick black eyelashes are now relatively sparse and brown, and my eyebrows are also sparse. But that's what make up is for. The hair on my head is still very evenly spread but there is very visible scalp between strands. I've gone for a grade 1.5 trim to make it look less fluffy and neater.

But the good news is.... 5 weeks today I will be having my FINAL EVER CHEMO. I'm on the home run!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also my puppy is ridiculously cute.