Double Jet Lag

I had read that the fatigue effect of the chemotherapy treatment was cumulative, but I had not really realised quite how much. Now two weeks after my last chemo treatment ( I really like saying my last chemo it has such a good sound ) I expected to be feeling well and on the road to recovery. Actually I am feeling well, in a general sense, but I have really lost a lot of energy, yesterday I sat on the couch and looked at some cups I should move into the kitchen for about 10 min before I could muster the energy to get up and do the dishes, and then went for a sleep afterwards !. This morning I made it out of bed fine at 7am, got the kids sent off to school, tidyed up the mess they created on the way, and found myself lying down for 10 min only to wake up at noon. That was after having gone to bed at 10pm the night before and sleeping soundly all night. The strange thing, which is why it is like jet lag, is that at any one specific time you can concentrate and appear to be pretty normal/recovered but the underlying energy level is very far short of normal. All of which is fine, it does not hurt, and the body needs it to recover but it does cause me to be cross with myself until I remind myself that its OK to take time to get my strength back. I managed to get to work twice in the last week both for half day meetings but once again as soon as I got home I was out like a light.

This week Lee is off to Oslo for her big lecture/conference where she is one of the keynote speakers, she always gets pretty wound up ahead of these events and then pulls of a good show in the end. I heard from her today and the lecture she gave seems to have gone down very well so she can relax and enjoy the boat tour of the fyjords this evening. Its kind of a role reversal for us as I have the kids at home and she is off on business !

The good news in the post today is that I have my CAT scan to set up the targeting for the radiotherapy on Thursday and then I get set up on a simulator for the treatment starting on the 18th of July, treatment will run until around about the 1st of August so as my fatigue from the chemo wears off the fatigue from the radiotherapy should start to kick in, Mr Sleepy head is probably with me until mid August. It seems like I should be able to go back to working full time at the plant around the 24th of August and be ready to travel again in time for a planned meeting on September the 12th in Germany. I am looking forward to getting back to normal life but I will miss some aspects of the time I have had at home - perhaps some reflection blogs will be written as I get nearer to the end of the treatment.

Holiday plans seem to be sorted out, in the gap before radiotherapy we will head up to Lee's parents house (some time next week) for a bit of camping in the forest followed by a few days with Jim and Sarah in a lodge they have for a week on the edge of Loch Rannoch, so that will give me fresh air, great family time, and a chance to detox. I will be at home for the next 3 weeks as I get my daily radiotherapy treatments and will be keeping up with emails and calls for that time. Then once the treatment is over I will take the girls over to Ireland to see the family and go with Mum up to her holiday house in Donegal for 10 days of computer free, phone free, stress free relaxation - Lee is running a big conference and public lecture event in Glasgow those two weeks so its best if we are out of the way and she can concentrate on the work she needs to do and join us later.

So there may be a break in the blog over the weeks we are away as internet connections are not reliable in those locations (July 5th to 15th and August 5th to 12th ). Otherwise I will try to keep you posted on the treatments, side effects are not expected to be as severe as those seen with chemo, the consultant said that I probably would not notice anything at the low doses they are using except a bit of fatigue. Lets hope she is right !

Time for my 1pm phone conference, cheers for now

Gerry