My my my, what a topsy turvy few days.
To be fair there have been some real pleasurable high points. Like most people (not everyone) we were caught up in the general feel good factor of the Royal Wedding. I’m going to declare my hand as a royalist here, not everyone agrees with the concept of a monarchy but I do.
Anyway the opportunity to have a focus on the day for entertaining took my mind away from the effects of the ongoing chemotherapy.
With the family around for Buck’s Fizz at breakfast and a BBQ at lunch the day was simply divine.
The sun shone and we all felt good about life.
Towards the afternoon I started to feel, well decidedly jaded, maybe it was the 5 glasses of Bucks Fizz? Mmmmmm spread or across the day this was highly unlikely.
As I laid on the bed I began to ache in my joints and was suddenly aware of a raging sore throat.
Clearly I had come back from last weeks work excursion with more than I had intended.
Bugger. This is not good. The last thing you need when on chemotherapy is any form of ‘bug’ you simply have no means to fight it. It also sends the medical teams into a tailspin and can result in you being admitted to hospital.
By Sunday I was seriously going down hill, the usual cold related symptoms but add that to the general malaise of chemotherapy and trust me you feel like you are dying. Nurse Cowls regularly took my temperature as this would decide whether I would have to be admitted, thankfully this was never enacted.
By Tuesday and with no improvement I reluctantly went to see the GP, despite my condition I try not to go to the doctors unless I absolutely have to. Following a thorough examination and extensive listening to my chest I was prescribed background antibiotics ‘for top cover’ .
More tablets to take every day, as if I don’t have enough already…
Inevitably it did go to my chest, and at the time of writing this blog I am still annoyingly coughing merrily away as Mrs C is trying to concentrate whilst working on her laptop.
I (we) we’re concerned, if I’m honest. At that height of my ‘unwellness’ I could not summon the energy to climb the stairs. I sat at the bottom like some child on the naughty step not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
By Thursday I was beginning to feel human again, this ain’t beating me folks, I can be a right stubborn sod when I choose to. Allowing a suitable time between morning chemo and suitable fluid intake I went out on my bike.
It is a challenge exercising , the depletion of red blood cells means the conversion of oxygen into the blood steam is less efficient, but the therapeutic benefits of being out on the moors in the sunshine far out-ways this medical challenge. It was only 6 miles, not exactly the Tour de France but for me it was a sense of achievement.
On returning home I laid on the settee in my cycling gear. Just a breather I thought…
2 hours later I woke up 😮
What a difference 4 days make
Gill Hubbert
Sort of a rollercoaster isn’t it! I woke this morning with a raging headache and pains in my chest. I am now paranoid about missing symptoms (like I did for bowel cancer) and did wonder if I was having a heart attack (a bit unfair I thought). Anyway judicious application of paracetamol seemed to ease both and I was on chemo this afternoon. The nurse asked what I had to eat the day before – now, I can’t remember what I had for brekfast let alone yesterday! Anyway obs were all good so we assume it was indigestion! More power to your elbow!
Just a thought. Have you looked into Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy? Gets more oxygen into your red blood cells I swear by it!
All the best
Gill x
Simon
Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy can have adverse affects though Gill? I’m sure I read they somewhere 🤔
Steve Boot
Hello my friend, sorry to hear you picked up the man flu bug to add to your woes but the fact you managed the 6 mile bike ride today is an indication you are not letting that stop you either; good for you. It looks like you are sucking the living daylights out of that ice cream though! The photo of you sat on the bottom of the stairs just looks like normal you – sat on the naughty step again 🙂
Keep soldiering on Simon, you are doing awesome!
Look forward to catching up soon.
Steve and Marie
Honey C
Yes Simon like me I loved the Royal wedding and even had tears – I love the monarchy and long may they reign.
We were on holiday in Portugal but the wedding was on every channel – couldn’t believe all the brits town by the pool whilst me and my friend Ally were glued to the screen wine in hand of course.
Unfortunately like you I came down with the dreaded sore throat and coughing malarkey and I feel for you so much as you’ve got it 10 fold with being on chemotherapy too 🙁. Coughing at my age is not a good thing 🤣😂😂🤣 as I’m sure you can imagine.
I’m glad you had a great day watching the wedding with family and a nice bike ride today, don’t overdo things tho when you have a chest infection etc – take things easy and recover and move forwards – always onwards and upwards Simon xx nurse cowls is a great nurse 😉
Mel and Steve
Royal wedding was great Crèche had a tea party which was really sweet unfortunately press office didn’t make it – I tried! we have got Elma the St Luke’s elephant visiting soon that should make a great story. Weather holding out for you. Keep kicking cancer where it hurts as we all know you can xx
Simon
Elma the elephant…. now that’s got to be worth seeing! 😂
Karen
Wow – what an up and down week! Pesky bugs. Hubby started coughing towards the end of his chemo once and they kept him in for a week on Lowen Ward…! He was absolutely convinced he was on the way out and we weren’t telling him! I’d go shopping into Truro most days while visiting him and he thought I was arranging his funeral! He refused to stay in bed and sat in the day room all day to prove he was ok! Can also remember him literally crawling upstairs some days with zero energy – horrible, then fine couple of days later. Keep peddling Mr C ! Xxx
Simon
We went around the Hoe today for a stroll (that’s not a euphemism) towards the end I was tempted to nobble an electric wheelchair off someone who’s only apparent disability was ‘eaten too many pies’ . I think my need was greater in this occasion (breathless).
Did not affect my ability to eat ice cream though ☺️