Brain Man

Further Waiting

Morning on this bitterly cold morning, sat here like an Inuit inside a freezer wrapped up. So what news I hear you ask. Well I had my bloods taken last week (trouble finding a vein) three attempts. I was having my chemo two days later so I naively thought they will fast track to say yea or nay to chemo. Nothing on that day nor the following day. So I rang the unit on the morning of my treatment to find out.

Several attempts to get through and finally answered by someone who obviously doesn’t like their job. I explained the urgency of the situation and was told to wait whilst he checked. The answer was I needed to get in straight away as they needed to go another check on my bloods. Further questions about why were greeted by the reply “I don’t know just been told to tell you to come in quickly”.

Taxi booked we rushed up to the hospital and then stood around as blood form wasn’t ready. Why the urgency if they are not ready. 30 minutes later as I chased the form, I was told “it wasn’t printed off as the other nurse was still on the computer”. Finally 10 minutes later form was handed to me I went to have my bloods taken, oh the fun at Sweeney Todd’s as three attempts were taken to obtain the vial of liquid red gold. Finally carried out, back to the chemo unit to await results.

Further 20 minutes sat around until the nurse said she spoken to my consultant and he advised to postpone my chemo as my levels were still too low. So I have another blood test this upcoming week and if OK then chemo goes ahead. Really peed off with this now. So endeth another chapter in my saga. Stay tuned to see the next instalment in the adventures of moi.

How am I?

Well my chemo has been completed and does it fill me with renewed vigor. NO. I feel like I have a permanent head cold. I can feel the beating of my heart in my ears and am struggling with shortage of breath continuously. Does anyone else experience this? If you don’t, do not worry it is not an exclusive club anyone wants to be a member of.

I am booked in for my blood test appointment in the middle of September and supposedly two days later resumption of my chemo. We shall see. I still haven’t had the results of my last MRI.

Our son is returning to the nest with his fiancee whilst they await moving into their new house. They have dropped off a few plants.

Our daughter should hopefully move into her new house shortly. 🏠 so the bairns are temporarily home.

Apologies if I sound down on my treatment it just seems to get to me. The chemo is not brilliant, but that maybe just me (side effects are bad) and waiting for hospital appointments, to see what happens next is not a joyful experience either. How does anyone else cope.

I will let you all rest after reading this diatribe and wish you all the best.

Chemo carried out.

Good morning from a sun soaked garden. I hope every one is doing OK?

Well what have been upto? I hear your murmer. If you haven’t it must be the voices in my head. As it says in my heading I have finally re commenced my chemo after numerous postponements due to levels. Dark side no drinking alcohol for next week. It took 7 attempts to get the canulla into one of my arms. I have my MRI middle of ext week so fingers crossed for that.

Went to the commonwealth games on Tuesday awesome but expensive food 8 pounds for a pasty. The hat was 20 by the way. Another quid and I could of bought the gold medal of every winning competitor.

Saw Perry the commonwealth mascot dressed for the occasion.

Sat in the garden now just chilling in this glorious sunshine, I hope its the same for you all.

I will sign off now as don’t want to melt framed brains Look after yourselves.

Still no chemo

https://brainman.home.blog/2022/07/13/still-no-chemo/

Still no chemo

Afternoon fellow downhillers. I trust you are enjoying the sun but still taking care. I had a call from my doctor yesterday asking how I was. I thought read my notes instead of asking for my opinion. He hasnt seen me since the universe was created (slight exaggeration there it was actually 10 minutes after the big bang). He asked me to come to the surgery to have a blood pressure test, this has been arranged for next Tuesday. Heaven knows why I need this as I have multiple blood pressure tests during the course of my transfusions. In fact the surgery gave me a machine to monitor myself.

It is typical me but after having my second transfusion last Saturday and feeling chipper I went for my blood test today prior to starting chemo on Friday. 2 hours later I get my regular call from my oncology nurse asking how I am doing? She reads my blood results and my white cell count is down but everything else is up. The conclusion is my chemo cannot go ahead.

This means the chemo department will now ring me to arrange another blood test and if that one is good then chemo can commence. Upside is, if I was on chemo I would not be able to drink of the devil’s water but I can now.

On a better note our lass, my mother in law, brother in law, youngest of my sister in laws and my niece went to the Black Country Living Museum on Sunday. Bloody hot due to this inclement weather, I must confess I loved it. Check out the website for it. bclm.com. it is amazing. I will close now and save you from banal ramblings. Take care everyone.

Merci Beaucoup

Merci à tous d’avoir lu mon blog récemment. c’est très apprécié. Comme vous le savez, j’ai eu ma première transfusion, mais j’ai toujours un essoufflement, donc j’aurai besoin de ma prochaine transfusion sanguine ce samedi. plus d’aiguilles. J’espère que tout le monde va bien et bien. Une fois de plus merci.

Cancervissary 3rd year of battle

Morning fellow downhillers. It is 3 years today that Brian entered my life and still resides although in a stable state I am pleased to say.

Pleased to say I have had my cross match last Thursday and yesterday had to be in the hospital for 9am to have my first blood transfusion. 3 hours later I was back in the real world 🌎. I asked the nurse if I required another cross match and you probably know the reply the response was yes.

So Wednesday off to the hospital I will duly troop for another cross match (why can’t they just read my previous records and have it ready) I don’t think it has changed in all these years without the need to take more blood. So basically they are extracting some of the blood they have only just given me. Talk about Shylock in the merchant of Venice and his wanting his pound of flesh.

Next Saturday I will wend my weary way back to the blood transfusion unit to have another unit if blood and then a further blood test to see if my chemo treatment can commence on 15th of this month. Fingers crossed that I am good for this.

As I said it is 3 years, 3 hours and 9 minutes since I welcomed Brian into my head. There have been ups and downs. I have had those moments when I have thought enough is enough during my darkest hours but immediate family and close friends bring me out of it. The tough part is knowing this is an ongoing saga that will play out as Brian long as remains dormant and one day he will return.

Not everyone will get the reaction to the chemo I encounter sometimes, but that is when I just want to give up. I know this reads more like a Victorian melodrama then a rallying call to fight this and for that I can only apologise and know I shouldn’t be so miserable as many great individuals haven’t had the opportunity to live beyond the quoted timescale given to us all after their initial diagnosis. I am pleased I have proved the medical profession wrong in their guesstimate of my lifespan as are others I know of.

We are all unique individuals with one thing in common this bloody thing has picked us out for special attention through no fault of our own. We will have clear sky blue days, miserable grey days and black days. I know shit colour pallet to work with, but you scribble with the crayons given. From the depths of the Marianas Trench to the top of Mt Everest you can’t say it isn’t an easy journey. There is no lift or venicular railway that we can ascend and descend easily. Ours is one of hairpin bends and dead ends but it is still a journey, one I know that not even Judith Chalmers would go on. Again apologies if I have left you feeling down it is just my own feelings written down. I hope everyone stays safe and carries on fighting.

More Transfusions

Where am I upto in regards to treatment and health. Well I had my last chemo the end of April and was told to chill. Treatment wise aftereffects I was lethargic and constipated (I know some will say I was already full of s’,t). Mind you I have had a test to check for bowel cancer and that came back negative. Good side was I didn’t have to go into hospital to how a camera shoved up my dark side of the moon to show pictures. I had to poo 💩 on a sample stick and post it back to hospital. It seems NHS celebrate a person’s 60th birthday in this unusual way. A card would have been nice folks.

I apologise for the delay in posting. I haven’t forgotten you all.

Today I went to see my consultant and he was pleased to announce Brian is stable. However and there always is an however, I stupidly mentioned I was becoming breathless again. My next blood test was due on 13th July with my chemo starting 2 days after that. Confuscious then looked into my eyes (no there was no magic spark) and said he wanted me to have a blood test straight away.

So trooping down the corridor with our lass and the nurse like the age of man picture to visit the phrenology unit to have my bloods taken. I was fast tracked and the nurse scurries off to see my consultant and returns minutes later to say my levels are low and I need a transfusion (not one but two units). Florence Nightingale than dashes again to arrange an appointment.

Story is I have to go back to hospital tomorrow to have a x match with one transfusion on this Saturday morning and the second one the following Saturday morning, with possibly more x matching in between them both as there are no other spaces available as they take 2 hours each. If all goes to plan I should be able to have my chemo in the middle on 15th July. I did explain that 2 years previously he had recommended suspending my driving licence due to my seizure (which I duly did) and I was wondering if I would be OK to apply for it as I havent had a seizure since 3rd July 2019, however I then mentioned I got tired in the afternoon. I know foolish of me his response was NO. The general public are more in danger if I was sat behind a wheel in a motorised vehicle on an afternoon. Maybe they could send me to the Donbas region to drive up and down the roads.

On that military 🪖 note I will bid you farewell and remember the saying “man with hole in pocket feels cocky all day”.

Back on Chemo

Morning everyone. Are we all ready to celebrate 🍾 the Royal weekend with a street party or a more intimate gathering.

We are having a garden party with Pimms (I know can’t get much posher than a jug of Pimms). Lol.

As it says in the headline I started my chemo last Friday after my bloods results said I was good to commence them again. Only downside is cannot drink whilst on treatment and this is a 10 day course. So I will be on a non alcohol session instead. The nurse who administered the chemo drugs had the bedside manner of an extra on some third world medical soap mocumentary and the touch of Edward Scissorhands. Not a nice experience I can tell you. Luckily my next appearance in front of nurse mengel is not until towards the end of July.

It was our lasses uncles birthday last week he was 90, he lives in Manchester (a man City fan. I know I didn’t know there were any actually lived in the city). He came down with members of his family. It was good to see them, a reet good time was had by all.

Apart from that I feel alright 👍. I hope everyone is OK and has a fantastic royal celebration knee’s up.

Thunderbirds Are not exactly Go but engines purring

Hello viewers. Well I had my MRI last week and the good news is Brian is stable again. 🍾 he went a bit off piste at one point. My oncology nurse confirmed he was back on track yesterday on a call. I got her to check again to be sure, which she did. So in terms of next stage of journey I will have another blood test and if that is good then and only then chemo can commence once more.

I have recommenced exercises (not Arnold Schwarzenegger body building exercises) but cardio warm ups. It appears to be working. Early days though. I feel OK 👍 so a bonus.

I hope everyone else is looking after themselves. Please let me know.