Well, my last 3 went pretty smoothly (not counting the waiting times!). I met up with Gemma for the last time on Monday. She was due to have another Herceptin infusion on the Tuesday, so her radiotherapy time (her last 1!) was brought forward to the morning. We swapped mobile numbers and have decided to keep in touch and let each other know how we're getting on.
Tuesday afternoon, I picked Vaughan up and he was suddenly full of a cold - red eyed, with a banging headache. That came on quick. Paracetamol didn't help much, so he didn't go to rugby training. Then, when Livi came back home after an evening driving around, she was in a state - shivery, aching and with a banging headache. Both didn't sleep well, so it looked like my last day of radiotherapy would be with them both at home.
Livi was due to work, so I asked Chris to wake me up just in case I needed to give her a lift in. He duly did as he was told, informed me that Livi wasn't going to work, but that I needed to get up as he was taking me for breakfast! He'd taken the day off work for my last session (maybe he really does love me after all!).
We left Vaughan and Livi in bed, walked into town and had a lovely breakfast. I popped into the pharmacy to get my outstanding Clexane injections, did a few errands and then we were off on our last trip to the hospital for a while. Not too long a wait and then I was in. The radiographer asked if I'd got a bottle of champagne on ice and told me to lie back and enjoy the last one! Strange really, but I've been quite happy to lie still and just let them get on with it, but this time I felt fidgety and couldn't wait to get off the table. I had to make an appointment with the oncologist for a follow up (4th April) and then it was time to go. How did I feel? Quite teary really - not sure why, probably relief that my hospital treatment thus far is finally at an end. Of course, I still have my Valentine's date with the CT scanner to look forward to (will I feel any easier when this has been done?). On our way back, we'd reached a junction on a hill, when Chris said "bloody hell, look at that!". I hadn't a clue what he was talking about, until I saw a Chinook helicopter straight ahead of us, woah! It flew low overhead and continued over the valley - very impressive! So, that was quite a nice end to my radiotherapy (maybe it was ordered specially!).
Oh yes, I rang the oncologist's secretary on Monday to find out about the Clexane (how much longer and what dose). She told me that Dr Newman was on annual leave, so she'd ask another doctor to find out and get back to me. Monday turned into Tuesday and Tuesday turned into Wednesday. I rang her back. Could I remind her what it was about as she had a terrible memory?!! She vaguely recalled handing it over to a junior doctor, so she'd have to chase him. Had I not rung back, I would never have found out (does she not keep a note of any outstanding queries? Our secretaries do!). Anyway, the upshot is, I can stop the Clexane. I guess I have to keep an eye out for blood clots - like everyone else does, I suppose. It'll be nice not having my bloody phone reminder keep going off every day!
My first "free" day wasn't so good. Vaughan was back at school but I took Livi to the doctors (thanks Rob) - temperature, sore throat, big tonsils. She ended up on antibiotics, had a throat swab (she keeps getting these sore throats) and some bloods taken to rule out glandular fever . She felt much better, other than her sore throat and wanted to go to college, so that's where we went next.
I was home long enough to have a cuppa and something to eat and then I had to go and pick Adam up from school (Vaughan had a school rugby match). Home for half an hour and then it was time to go and pick Livi up. That's when the nightmare started. There are numerous roadworks at the moment and we got stuck in them. With those, dropping her off at a friends house and picking Vaughan up from rugby, I was sat in the car for about 2 and half hours! Everything was getting on my nerves (nearly running out of diesel; the car up my bumper; another one that overtook in a village and then got stuck in front of me in a queue (ha! and he had a dangerously positioned canoe on his roof!)) so, by the time I got home, I was in a foul mood (sorry Chris).
Anyway, tomorrow's another day and I have coffee with H and Jess to look forward to......
One last thing, my friend posted this on her blog and I think it's brill!
http://reasonstostaypositive.blogspot.com/2011/01/up-yours-to-breast-cancer.html
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