Today was a day of tests at the hospital to check my fitness for the chemo on the 28th. I had to once again carry my urine sample tub around with me for the previous 24hrs (for a kidney function test today), then I went to the hospital for 10am and the round of tests. First up was blood samples and Hickman line maintenance (flowing nicely so no need for the John Travolta impressions of the past). Then I had to trek across the hospital to get an ECG and an ultrasound ECHO test of my heart, good news is my aorta is still fine. I was a little worried when the nurse/technician hummed kept looking for quite a long time, eventually she was happy that I did not have a hole in my heart just a thin wall between the chambers which is OK. This was followed by another trek to the respiratory checks where I found out I have "enormous lungs" normally someone my size would have 5 liter capacity but mine is 6.5 so she had to recalibrate the machine. This could be a future party line.... perhaps!. Despite big lungs my lack of red blood is still telling so I only transferred about 70% of normal oxygen to my blood which is not too bad when I consider I had less than half the normal amount of haemoglobin in my blood last week. So after 7 different tests, three waiting rooms, 5 nurses I emerged from the hospital at 1.30pm just in time to head home for a sleep, I was tired out with all the walking. I roused myself at 4 when the kids got home and set about making tea for tonight and lamb casserole for tomorrow.
Progress on the many small tasks I had intended to start, decorating the spare room, fixing the pump on the MG and some spreadsheets for Lee's business has all been pathetic, I did buy some rollers for the painting and ordered the pump/filter for the MG but other than that my energy has not been sufficient. I went to Lee's mums and set up her Internet connection on Sunday, which was fine because I was concentrating on the task, but once I got home I was straight off to bed and the next day was pretty much a write off under the duvet. That is the odd thing about my condition at times, like now as I sit in the kitchen typing this, radio on in the background, lamb bubbling on the stew, I feel just like I did before chemo - however if I try to walk a long distance (more than 0.5 mile or so) or work in a concentrated fashion, then waves of fatigue hit me and the duvet beckons. If I put my head down at any time I can sleep for 2-3 hours which I never could have done before in the afternoon.
So my concentration for the next 20 days will be twofold, firstly I need to try to walk and gently exercise to build up my strengh for the chemo, fortunately I am at the same weight I was before treatment but a bit more is fat and a bit less muscle, or hair for that matter. Secondly I want to organise some treats for me as I will be at my "peak" fitness over these two weeks, it will be downhill for a few months once BEAM starts. I was reading my classic car magazine about a nice route from Monte Carlo and I should get the Aston back at the end of this week so it may be time for a "Clarkson classic" run from Zebrugge. Perhaps I will settle for a loop around the north of Scotland with my walking boots in the boot and a run down to see my friends in the North East plus another nice night at a hotel with Lee. Unfortunately the kids school holidays fall the week after my chemo starts so a family week away seems unlikely. There is a Sunday Classic breakfast meeting in Goodwood that might make the radar.
Apart from escaping in Aston's or MG's I hope to organise some jolly dinner parties here for groups of friends at the weekends to match up with the start of the F1 season and the closing of the Rugby competition. I will keep you posted on these as they happen, calender and phone book are both out tonight to juggle these aspirations with hospital visits, school events and doctors consultations. Planning Gerry is starting to re-emerge !
Cheers
Gerry
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2 comments:
The medical profession finally confirms what many of us suspected. Gerry is full of hot air!
What about Yorkshire for a Bluesmobile spin? It's easily reachable from Auld Reekie. There are some fantastic roads (one from Scarborough over to York sticks in my mind). There are some lovely pubs for a spot of grub. The fish & chip shops are top hole (there's a really good sit-in one on the front in Scarborough)and serve corking mushy peas. The only thing we can really hold against Yorkshire is that it produced one N Ford Esq.
Hope you've got enough puff to cook my dinner on Saturday.
Dear Kenny,
You continue to be a comfort and a chum however their should be some rules about the commentor being funnier than the blogger!
I am thinking that a run to see Neville in Kielder could be part of the pre BEAM activities. I also thought that you or David might be candidates for a run to Goodwood for the festival of speed either of you might appreciate the event. Let me know on Saturday pity about the football coaching on Sunday as we could have bought multiple copies of the Sunday times and commented on Gores headline in the supplement (I know you like to have your own pristine copy of the sunday papers having rumpled a set in the past and being told off for doing so).
N.Ford Esq good buddy, and person who does not do blogs as denial is his thing, will be there on Saturday I hope so you are not allowed to fight with him as it is against the left wing basis of this house, at least until I have read my US colleagues reading list!
Cheers
Gerry
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