Mike's Treatment Diary

09:25 On my way to North Middlesex again, the pump didn't empty until yesterday evening so I'm going to take the train to Silver Street as there's no rush today. Reviewing the blog from the first Chemo, the worst I felt was the week following the pump removal. Hopefully the additional anti-sickness and antacid medication will lessen the impact. Fingers Crossed. 10:43 At the chemo day unit, checking in. Neg COVID test done. 11:54 Pump removed, only 8 mins wait at at Silver Street and the Chesunt connection to Bishop's Stortford showed up 30 seconds later. Much better journey today.

06:30AM Friday 24th Feb To quote an ex Traveler, Lessons Learned. Given the massive bloating and painful gassiness I slept upright on the sofa last night as later time lying down was mostly rubbish sleep-wise. I still got woken up by Basil at 6am wanting his breakfast but did manage a reasonable amount of sleep. The Doc gave me an additional antacid medication this time after our review so fingers crossed this does the trick.

56 minute drive to North Mid this morning, plenty of parking.  I'm now in the chemo day unit reception waiting to be admitted to the unit. Proof of a negative covid lft result is required to be allowed in. 10:30  Sat in my chair for about an hour, not started yet. 10:50 Off and running, about 1.5 litres of fluids 12:37 Cisplatin time, about 1 litre 13:47 Now I'm on the last bottle of fluid, also 1 litre. 14:45 Appears that wasn't the last bottle, I have another ! 17:54 Final bottle, line flush and pump attached by 15:45, so far so good. Pharmacy managed to put meds I'd requested on Tuesday in a safe place which took them the best part of 20 minutes to find. Didn't leave until 16:15, thankfully got home in time to see Emily and drop her off at school for their production of Matilda. We're going there in a bit to watch.

09:55 Today's trip into hospital is for a kidney function test, a chemo blood test, a meeting with the consultant to review chemo so far and begin to plan the radiotherapy and finally a CT scan. I left home at 07:00, the M11 behaved itself mostly with the usual crawl from the Loughton junction to the North Circular, 50 minutes in total. Car parking at this time of day is easy. I've been injected with whatever the kidney test needs and have to have bloods in four hours time. I meet the consultant at 11:30 so I have an hour or so to kill. 12:44 Consultant, kidney scan and bloods done, now I'm back in the radiotherapy reception waiting for the CT scan and apparently I'll be getting the radiotherapy mask made. 14:15 Almost done, CT scan and mask fitting complete. Awaiting confirmed date for start of radiotherapy.

It's Sunday evening, it's the first day that I've not felt massively bloated since the first chemo. Hopefully I'll get a decent night's sleep. Last night I slept upright on the sofa as the gassy, bloated stomach and lying down in bed was not working. Julie and I went out in the X1/9 to a cars & coffee in Sawbridgeworth this morning, a coffee and a wander round outside is good for clearing the head. This week is school half term so I shall (if she's in the right mood) find things Emily and I can do together. First thing tomorrow however I have a reiki session booked at the Hummingbird cancer support group at the arts centre that used to be named after Cecil Rhodes.

The pump finally emptied overnight so this morning I went back into the North Middlesex to have it disconnected.  Against my better judgement I thought I'd give the train a chance. It worked on the way, not so much on the way back. I got some extra anti sickness medicine that took the hospital pharmacy an hour and a half to sort out. As I walked back to Silver Street station my (TFL Overground) train arrived and pulled away. 30 minutes later I got the next one which when it arrived at Chesunt, the Greater Anglia service to Bishop's Stortford pulled away just as mine pulled to a halt. Thanks. Another 30 minute wait. Finally home, cats a bit miffed about a late dinner. Chemo round two in a couple of weeks.

Unfortunately the pump is still running, hopefully we'll be done tomorrow and I can go back to the North Mid to have it removed.  Had a visit to the Hummingbird Cancer Support Group this morning, cup of tea, slice of cake and a chat. Most helpful.

Aside from getting dressed, the only other effect so far is stomach related. Not to go into too much detail but one day one thing, next day the opposite. I am supposed to go back tomorrow to have the pump removed but there's only just over 50% of the meds gone so it may be Tuesday. Phone call in the morning to check.  Oh and I've been sleeping more than usual.

Yesterday saw my first chemo session. My first appointment was at 09:00 so given the usual mess that is the M11 I left at 07:10 and arrived at the North Mid at 08:15. Parking, thankfully, wasn't an issue. The first appointment was with speech therapy as later in the radio treatment I will get a sore throat, probably ulcers and some muscle issues so I have a number of neck and throat related exercises to start now that should benefit me later on. Chemo consisted of me pretty much sat in chair from 10:30 until about 15:30 whilst they dripped about 3.5 litres of fluids into me, 3l of that were salts, 0.5l was the actual chemo drug. After that I was fitted with a pump which constantly slow feeds about 250mm of a second drug into me over 4 days, so it has to stay attached. There are some logistical problems with that, mostly around getting dressed and sleeping. As I normally sleep on my left side I have employed the standard 'pull out the second draw of the bedside cabin...