Friday 8th February 2019
“It’s so important that people know there was a time before the NHS. It makes them appreciate it more.” — Miriam Margolyes

Friday hospital day today ! Early start being in for bloods at 8.40am, I actually got there at about 8.15am, checked in and took my ticket to have blood taken. It was unusually about 30 minutes today before the screen moved from number 53, to my number 58.

Then I rushed off for some breakfast, had a triple sausage butty and reported back to the waiting room for my 9.40am Dr’s appt. I went in about 10.05am, and saw Dr Welch, the head consultant. Happy for me to go ahead with today’s chemo, although my Neutrophil (again read immune system) count had dropped to 0.4, a really low figure leaving me vulnerable. This just means I start another 5 days of Filgrastim injections into my belly each day to help the count up. I did have 5 days of them last week from Thursday to Monday but they’d still dropped a fair bit by today clearly.

I asked about my bloody nose each morning, apparently the chemo can upset the very thin layer of skin in the nose and some of the blood vessels can burst quite easily. Nothing to worry about, it’s not a sign of my platelet count being low, those numbers were fine.

I also asked about my fuzzy hearing this last week, which incidentally has been far less noticeable yesterday and I don’t recall noticing it at all today. It’s definitely a result of the Cisplatin. Apparently a different drug was trialled previously to replace it, but the relapse rate of the cancer was higher so it was not taken further. I’m a little more at ease this time knowing it seems to be recovering, it may perhaps be worse with cycle 3 but should bounce back. I’m in the mercy of the gods with this one I think, ultimately the cisplatin is there to kill the cancer.

With that, off I went to pharmacy to order my drugs, took ticket 13, and reported for chemo. I dropped my notes at reception, and then wondered how to kill 3 and a quarter hours until my 1.30pm appointment.

I just had a bit of a wander around the hospital, found some quiet places to sit and read the news on the internet, and generally chill out. I wanted to eat a bit closer to chemo time. I went to the charity shop, to pick up my free running t-shirt for the Great Manchester Run in May, and look for a Cycle Jersey too for the bike ride in September. I had a quick chat in there, and got my stuff. The Cycle Jersey was £25, but I really didn’t mind paying my way, I know how expensive they can be to produce, even for a charity. Can’t wait to get training in them…

Then just as I was starting to think about lunch, my phone rang at 12.30pm and it was the chemo ward asking if I was free to go early. Hell yeah ! So I shot to M&S, got a meal deal, a banana, and wandered up. I was in the chair next to the one I was in last week, the only difference being it was full today, last week it was almost empty. I also arrived just as lunch was being served, so I added a cup of hot mushroom soup to my lunch collection.

Everything went to plan bar a few hiccups. Firstly, the nurse hit a valve in my vein both times trying to put the cannula in, meaning that weird thing where the needle just pops back out seemingly by itself. Cue another nurse coming over, as I learnt last week they only try twice then get somebody else, luckily the 3rd one went in fine. Just the 4 needles (incl the one to take blood) today in my right arm !

In went the steroids, and boy have I been hungry again tonight. Then 30 minutes of Bleomycin, then 10 minutes or so of saline. Unfortunately when Lilac Bob (the IV pump) finished, the lady next to me had took a turn and was rightly garnering a lot of attention. So a short 10 minute wait and they unhooked me, and off I went.

I always try to time it just right for Dad to turn up when I’m downstairs waiting, and without having to wait too long myself, but I hadn’t planned for such a delay and I still needed to go to the pharmacy to pick up my injections I ordered before. I legged it across the hospital, with about 7 minutes before Dad was due, and it’s always a painful wait in there. Today no different, I made it out with a minute to spare and legged it to the front door bang on time, and my luxurious lift home arrived a few minutes later. Every week they ask how you are getting home, driving yourself is a big no-no.

Home for 3pm, the kids were dropped off at home, and a bit later we ordered a chinese. Did I mention I was hungry ? I ate the probable 3000 calorie banquet infront of me, and had a big drink to keep the kidneys moving. This was after 4 packets of walkers crisps and 3/4 of a box of mint matchmakers. I’d started to feel a bit lethargic (surprisingly, with rice nearly coming out of my ears), and about 7pm I went up to lie with Jayne who was chilling out upstairs. I probably fell asleep within 5 minutes of being up there, and slept until about 9.30pm really very easily.

I considered staying there for the night, but I needed my injection, and I definitely need to drink a lot more before I go to bed to keep flushing the system, no matter how many times I pee in the night. It’s a good thing really. We should also get a a lie-in in the morning, so no pressure there.

The Christie really is an amazing place. Others may have different experiences, but it seems to be a quite well oiled machine. The NHS gets some stick these days. I could have called in my private medical insurance at various points along the way, but the NHS care has been great. I still remember the look my Dr gave me when I asked early on if there would be any benefit of invoking private, and the look alone said it all. It said “you’re already in the best place, if you go elsewhere then you take your chances.” I might have got a nicer private room on my 3 day stays at The Christie, but things wouldn’t have moved any quicker at the points I enquired, and the treatment would be the same. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade the private room for being in a small ward of some brilliant characters along the way that brought some humour to the journey. I’ll take my chances again in Cycle 3 that I meet some more rather than be locked in a room for 3 days.

I’m off with the boys to see my family tomorrow afternoon, and then off to the Manchester Arena with Jayne in the evening to see Professor Brian Cox, one of her Xmas presents from me. Sunday will be a down day, watch the football and chill out. I would hope I can make it out on the bike at some point too if I feel up to it, if I have to nap then so be it. We’re on the home straight for Cycle 2 now, the 3rd and final Cycle is in sight.