Mike's Treatment Diary

Friday 8th September  10:30 Train from Stortford at 07:15, tube from Tottenham Hale to Warren Street. 08:30 Blood test at the McMillan Cancer Hospital 09:30 Ultrasound scan at the ENT Hospital next door 10:45 Canular inserted for and MRI at 11ish, then back to ultrasound for a biopsy.

Tuesday 5th September  19:10 Since the mixed news of the last entry it's been a waiting game, this Friday I haven ultrasound guided biopsy on the lymph node on the right hand side of my neck. It's been a frustrating wait. I still don't know if I'm getting an MRI on the same day. This would be ideal so I don't end up having to go into UCLH twice. Also the sooner the better. If I need it operated on I'd rather know and get it out of the way. 

Thursday 17th August Just had a call from the UCLH oncologist. PET scan all clear - tongue/primary site no cancer MRI scan - right hand side lymph node secondary  site shrunk a lot but not entirely gone. Oncologist not 100% happy so I'm going for another MRI and an Ultrasound at UCLH to confirm, this mat possibly result in an operation to remove the remaining cells. Good news, not out of the woods yet though.....

11:00 Thursday 10th August I'm in UCLH Nuclear Medicine being prepped for my PET scan. Cross everything for a positive outcome... 

Sunday 6th August 20:30 It's been almost a month since my last diary entry. I've been pretty much stable for the last few weeks, dry throat so drinking fluids regularly during the day and waking up every 1.5 hours overnight.  We've been to Wales for the last week or so, sea air, change of scenery and meeting aunts, cousins and old friends. I had an MRI scan a couple of weeks ago and this thursday is the long awaited PET scan at UCLH, the results of which will hopefully confirm the cancer is gone and I can start to plan return to work.

July 8th Over the last three weeks I appear to have levelled off in recovery. I don't have any pain, I'm chewing and eating OK and my taste is mostly back ( not for Cadburys Dairy Milk though, sadly). I do though have a very dry throat and some associated odd tasting saliva. During the day this is manageable with plenty of fluids but o ernight my mouth dries out and I'm awake three or four times drinking water, which has the knock on effect of a full bladder and visiting the loo each time.  I'm still feeling tired most afternoons, not helped by the rubbish sleep I suppose. I'm starting to fixate on 10th August which is my scan date, I just need to know if its gone or not. 

June 17th  13:30 Not much to report, for the last few weeks I've been steadily improving. My taste has pretty much returned for normal food, milk chocolate unfortunately still doesn't taste quite right. I've seen the Oncologist at the Princess Alexandra in Harlow and am dur to meet again mid-July then have scans early August. I still have a sore under my tongue which produces unpleasant tasting saliva although this is not overpowering the taste of food as it did during radiotherapy. I'm also not tiring as easily, which is nice. Looking forward to working on cars again. The X1/9 is pretty much OK now, the Seicento starts on the button and I need to get Luke to wake up a bit earlier so we can continue driving lessons. The Abarth has a scraping noise from the OSF wheel and the brake discs have a bit of a lip so I've bought new Brembo discs and pads to swap out. At the same time I'll renew the front top shock absorber bushes.