Clot, clot, quick, quick - go!

We arrived 10 minutes early for the Doppler scan.  It was only us in the waiting room, so we were soon seen.  The young man carrying out the scan asked me if I was wearing a bra under my top and handed me a towel telling me I could wrap it round me and sit on the side of the couch. Now, I'm not sure what this says about me, but I thought he meant take it all off and wrap the towel round (Chris thought so too!).  Apparently not.  When he came back in the room, he said I could have kept the bra on.  Well, as I was wearing Frances, it was probably better off than on!  Anyway, after lifting my chin, holding my breath and lifting my arm for what seemed like ages, the Doppler was over.  He was surprised I was having the scan with the PICC line still in, but I explained that they didn't want to take it out before checking if there was a clot.  This, it seemed, made it difficult to give a definitive answer to the clot question, but he was 80% sure there was one there.  He rang the registrar and gave him the news and we traipsed back to the chemo suite to await a decision.

The girls there have been brilliant, especially Karen and Fiona.  Gareth, the registrar, was convinced it would be ok to carry on with the chemo, but to flush it first to see how well that went in.  Karen (senior sister) duly did the flush and rang Gareth back to tell him it went through ok. She still wasn't convinced though about giving the chemo, as she didn't want it to reach the clot and then come back down the line and cause problems (as it had with another patient). 
Gareth came to look at my arm and have a chat.  He explained the results of the scan, telling us that all looked fine below and above the clot.  He'd had a chat with my consultant, Dr Newman, and recommended daily Clexane injections until my PICC's removed (sometime in January).  This will slowly break up the clot and make sure that no more appear. I had this injection every night in both my hospital stays as I wasn't moving around a lot - bit stingy, but ok.  The issue of not getting blood from the line will still exist, of course, but with agreement from Karen, I can go to the chemo suite to have pre-chemo bloods taken, as they seem to be the only ones that can get blood out of my hand without too much fuss. I just hope I don't have to have any other bloods taken by anyone else ie A&E!  Will have to be extra careful.  As a result of all this, I didn't have to go down to see the radiographer after all.  As I'd had to have breakfast before 7 this morning, Chris went to get me a nut bar to nibble on before my treatment.

Karen seemed more satisfied after this explanation, but still wanted to double check by putting a bag of saline in first.  This went in really well and to double, double check, she tried to draw blood from the line again.  No blood (naturally!), but also no saline, which meant that it had gone through ok.  Once I'd been weighed (yes I've put on!), I was plugged into the Docetaxel.  The gauze had already been taken off my statlock, to give the sores a chance to dry out, but also to see if there would be any reaction to the Docetaxel.  Karen explained some things to look out for - more hair loss (am hoping for the arm hairs this time and more off the legs - shaved this morning and 1 leg was hairier than the other!), possible finger and toe nail loss, facial redness, neuropathy of the hands and feet, aches and pains, to name but a few.  The nausea we'll have to see about, but yes possibly that too. Another thing is that the neutrophils will start going down earlier - by day 3 - 4. With the Neulasta and the Clexane, I'll be as proficient as Dad at self injecting!

The Docetaxel went in well, no reactions.  I had a cat nap, while Chris wandered off to buy Private Eye and sneak a packet of beef Hoola Hoops. He smelled lovely when he came back and promised to buy me some when we finished. I'd have loved anything to eat!

Finally got home and Chris crashed on the sofa.  I too was knacked, but have stayed awake in the hope I'll sleep ok tonight!  I'm currently feeling not too bad, tired and a bit achey, but not as yucky as after the FEC.  I put this down to not having the ice lollies and water!

Chris took Adam to Futsal where they lost 16 -1!  Livi drove her and Sam to Salisbury, both arrived back safely and Vaughan has had a huge amount of homework before his mocks (although I'm not sure the computer has been used solely for that!).  Ooh, and "Rita" arrived.  In fact I'm wearing her at the moment. Don't worry Auntie Ritas, she's not as bad as Frances and Nora! Not convinced she's the one yet, but I'll keep persevering!

As my lovely Mummy has just arrived, complete with goodie bags of food, I'd better go and say hello!

I'm not sure how I'm going to be after this treatment, but I'll let you know when I can......