Hi everyone today is the 360th day from I first went into hospital and everything pretty much has gone a full 360 since then. After the previous post, it was waiting around for the PET scan, the colchicine seems to have eased the worst of the heart pains, still getting niggles but nothing as bad as it had been. The next Wednesday I had my normal hospital appointment with BMT to keep an eye on things and later I was due to go and get a lung function test, but the BMT doc wanted me to cancel it, he didn’t want me rupturing or breaking anything as the lung test can be quite stressful and would be easy enough to get it rescheduled rather than taking the risk.
The next morning on the Thursday I got up as usual and just as I was about to take my tablets I heard ringing, thought it was an alarm from next door but turned out to be my phone that I’d left in the other room, thankfully was able to get it before they hung up and it was the PET scan people asking if I could come up to get the scan right away. Two minutes later I wouldn’t have been able to, so I jumped at it, very quick wash and over to the Royal. This time I was more prepared and kept my headphone in and was able to listen to my audiobook which is currently A Storm of Swords. Lay there for an hour and then lay in the scanner for another 20 mins and then on home. At least now it’s done and dusted. On the way home I phoned the hospital to let them know that the PET scan had been done as they were going to keep an eye on it and the Lymphoma doc wanted to know when it was so she could get an appointment booked.
A bit later I missed a call but they phoned my parents and it was the Lymphoma doc booking an appointment for Monday week. I’m up at the hospital the Wednesday so should find out more then. On the Saturday I thought I’d try using the treadmill in the morning to get my routine I had back again but I felt my heart playing up so stopped and waited to later to get my steps in, I’m now on a 94-day streak. Later in the day it seems a lot easier and not as stressful on the body but it really knocks me.
I had ordered the remastered Tony Hawks which was due to be delivered on the Friday but got an email about 4 to say it wouldn’t be delivered till next week which miffed me off so I canceled it and went through ok so hadn’t even been despatched and then just bought the digital version, downloaded and an hour later I was playing away, and haven’t really stopped since.
Fast forward to Wednesday where I was going up to hospital to see the BMT doctor, went in to give bloods and the nurse said I was just up to give bloods today and got him to check as I was supposed to be seeing the doctor too. The appointment with the BMT doctor was canceled which pretty much told me everything I needed to know without being told, will only be seeing the Lymphoma doctor on Monday. So rather than going home I went on my usual hospital walk down Lisburn Road cut through to Malone, down to Botanic Gardens, through there and back to the car, was very tempted to get in somewhere and get a coffee but never bothered, I didn’t particularly want to be asked if I’d been crying.
Just as I was getting back to the hospital I got a phone call, just at the entrance between the Cancer Center and hospital, I was standing at the wall talking to the BMT doctor when this wee head pops out of the bushes in front of me and starts sniffing my direction, it was a wee brown rat, it stayed there for a bit before someone was going past and scared it off. It was almost as if it knew something was wrong and it wanted to comfort me like a dog would, obviously it’s a rat and was just out looking for food but the other way helps me more and makes for a better story.
So the doctor pretty much told me what I had already assumed with the lack of appointment, the cancer is back but will need to get a biopsy to be certain, the lymphoma doctor already has a treatment plan for me, I won’t hear about that until I get to speak to her on Monday. The doctor also said that the echo scan showed that the left ventricle was “slow” and he’d forward it to cardiology to have a look at and find out if they want to investigate it further.
On the way home I called into my parents to tell them, after phoning them first to make sure it was ok to call round, can’t moan about others doing it and then do it myself. It was the first time I’ve been in someone else’s house since February and was finally able to give my mum her birthday hug after a 6 month wait. It was nice to be somewhere else apart from home or hospital. Stayed there for a couple of hours before coming home and getting some food and properly digest everything that had happened that day.
Today I feel crap, bunged up and waiting for my tablets to kick in, felt my heart a bit but should settle soon enough. Lungs also seem extra bunged up, a bit short on breath and nose running away, it’s been tough to write this but it needed to be done for my sake as much as anything, I never really got upset about me being unwell before but this time it really has, it’s just one thing after another, constantly and I’m running out of things to classify as silver linings.
I’ll hopefully know more on Monday for going forward and what it means. For now as far as restrictions I may loosen up a bit the reason I hadn’t gone out for walks or see anyone was because of the BMT and being comfortable and not rocking the boat, restricting this for a couple of months till that was done. Now I can only guess it’ll be another 6 months for the chemo or whatever and then again for the BMT, it’s too long so I think I may start to go out for walks or a cycle. I just don’t know, right at this very moment I am not moving and won’t be till I pick up somewhat.