Tuesday 1 March 2011

Well oh well, we made it to London! It's been a mental couple of days but I'm on the correct ward now... When we arrived on Sunday evening my bed still wasn't ready so I went to stay in the hotel accommodation with Mum (after waiting 4 and a half hours to be told this!). On Monday we came to the hospital at 9am and waited to see the doc (who didn't come til after 1pm) to be told that my room still wasn't ready and that we couldn't go ahead with the chemo as planned as I wasn't given my steroids the night before. The chemo regime is very strict (it HAS to be given on a Monday as it is a 7 day cycle and the stem cells need to be given on a Monday) yet the pharmacy have apparently managed to work around this. We'll see.. The doc said I wasn't able to get the steroids until 11pm which would delay the chemo by a day at least. As of this, Mum and I decided to go to the cinema to pass the time and met my Cousin Kate for dinner which was nice. I was really unimpressed by this - the steroids were written up for me so the doctor on Sunday night obviously didn't read the chart properly which isn't very encouraging. I didn't know I had to have these steroids 12 hours before the chemo and if I did I would've made sure I got them! I still haven't been given the chemo regime but when I do, I'm going to make sure it's stuck to. I was very annoyed about the situation yesterday but I have calmed down a bit now! I just have to keep on top of them! The chemo was supposed to start at 11am today but didn't start til after 2pm. There is always so much hanging about- I am so bored already!

I'm on a different ward this time and the room is a bit bigger. The address is, Room 3, Western Ward, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS (as some folk have asked!). I brought some photo's from home which I've stuck to the wall but it looks very bare! It feels odd that I'll be stuck in here for another three weeks at least. Here is a snap of the room..


My first chemo drug which is called Taxol. Fun.


Mum getting on with her knitting..


As I started the steroids so late on last night I had to stay on a different ward and I was in a room with two other people. One lady was on her phone at 6.45 this morning which woke me up - I was not amused! There are definite benefits to having a single room..

While sitting waiting to see the doc yesterday morning I amused myself by looking through all the Oscars dresses. They were all rather dull this year really. When I was diagnosed last May, doctors kept asking me when I started to feel a bit iffy. For some reason, the day of the Oscars really stands out (end of Feb 2010). When I lived with Ruth and Amy we would normally (well ALWAYS) keep Monday night free to paint our nails, drink tea, watch rubbish TV and go to bed early. Rock and roll I know. Anywho, last year we watched the Oscars coverage together and that's the first time I really noticed something was up. Mum gave me some medication (which didn't help) and that's when I started going to the GP a lot. It is very strange that so much has happened in a year - I never thought it would be anything like this. At the beginning of it all, my doctor at the Beatson said she thought it was a fast growing tumour. I guess it's silly to think about when it all started as I'll never know the answer, but it doesn't stop you from wondering!

I'm really nervous about the upcoming treatment. The last time it was so dreadful and I'm scared it's going to be as bad. The recent mistakes/last minute changes haven't helped me either. I'm just hoping and praying things go OK. I just can't wait for it to be over! Oh well, I'll play it by ear I guess (I now HATE this phrase, feel like it sums up this entire period!). Mum has popped out to Tesco so I'm just listening to music and faffing about on the computer. I've also started a really good book so I might try get that finished before the chemo really hits in. Let's hope that takes a while!

4 comments:

  1. Your room looks huge compared to the last one!

    I'm sure we can work on getting you some decorations to liven it up too.

    x

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  2. Thanks for the address darling, I'm sure we'll all manage to fill your room full of stuff in the next wee while!
    Very pleased you're finally in your own room and things are underway after all the faff you've been through down there.
    We're all with you every step of this Mai. So proud of you and can't wait to have you home again soon.
    Love you xxxxxxxxxx

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  3. I am going to be making a messof that room in 24 hours time yassssss- ordered something pretty for your room but it is still not here and I am annoyed- I still hope it shows up today before I leave.


    See ya soon pie pie

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  4. Taxol = cancer terminator!!

    ReplyDelete