This round only consisted of going to hospital and picking up my pills – but what a trip! My parents came up the day before as I think they wanted to see out every cycle, plus I had never taken the pills on their own before, so they could be there just in case my … Continue reading 12 March 2021 – Chemo, ROUND 8
Chemotherapy
19 February 2021 – Chemo, ROUND 7
As usual, my parents came up the night before and I told them about Sophie’s Choice. They agreed with my decision or at least supported me, I know they realise how gruelling this is for me and that they’d so anything to take the pain away. The last chemo in the cosy love shack of … Continue reading 19 February 2021 – Chemo, ROUND 7
29 January 2021 – Chemo, ROUND 6
My bloods the day before came back the same, but Oncology emailed me that morning and said chemo was on and I would stay on the 75% concentration. My parents came up this week, irrespective of the outcome of the chemo appointment because of my meltdown. I could see that my Mum really just wanted … Continue reading 29 January 2021 – Chemo, ROUND 6
08 January 2021 – Chemo, ROUND 5
Have you ever seen the film the Green Mile? It’s one of all-time favourites. When the inmates walk to the electric chair on death row and Percy Wetmore (a prison guard) shouts ‘dead man walking, there’s a dead man walking here’ - that scene was playing in my head as I walked on to the … Continue reading 08 January 2021 – Chemo, ROUND 5
10 December 2020 – Chemo, ROUND 4
I went into this round of chemo a little cocky, the last one was a breeze and I had a clear idea of what my symptoms were; even if the severity was mixed most of the symptoms remained relatively consistent. For some reason this time they went straight back into the large vein on the … Continue reading 10 December 2020 – Chemo, ROUND 4
19 November 2020 – Chemo, ROUND 3
My mum had prepared for this round mentally; she had done her own research and found out that Chemo Round 3 is one of the worst. I remained blissfully ignorant of this fact, and had in fact made a mental timetable of symptoms for the week to get me through to diarrhoea and euphoria stage … Continue reading 19 November 2020 – Chemo, ROUND 3
29 October 2020 – Chemo, ROUND 2
The Oncology nurse calls you the day before chemo to find out how you got on with the cycle. Being honest, I was deeply frightened of Round 2. Round 1 had knocked my confidence massively and I knew it was going to be a miserable and painful experience. The chemo nurse and I talked about my … Continue reading 29 October 2020 – Chemo, ROUND 2
08 October 2020 – Chemo, ROUND 1
I woke that morning with confidence, showered and dressed. A friend of mine bought me this epic t-shirt when I was diagnosed – it says ‘Life’s a bitch and so am I’ and I defiantly promised I would wear it to chemo. But when it came to it, I wasn’t feeling quite so brave. Maybe … Continue reading 08 October 2020 – Chemo, ROUND 1
17 September 2020 – Pre-chemo Appointment
Pre-chemo appointments required yet more blood tests. I met my chemo specialist and he was so nice. He explained about the type of treatment he was giving me, but the frequency and type of treatment would depend on my next decision. Would I want a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line which is a tube … Continue reading 17 September 2020 – Pre-chemo Appointment
10 September 2020 – Post-op meeting
I was lucky, the oncology team allowed my Mum to attend the meeting with me. We both knew something was amiss and you can’t stop a tiger mum protecting her cub (or a mother shark defending her “baby shark”…you can thank me for that ear worm later)! I was delighted to see my favourite surgeon; … Continue reading 10 September 2020 – Post-op meeting
Bryony vs. Bowel Cancer 