9. Week Five of Treatment
This week has been rather uneventful; though it has given me time to think and reflect on the last few months. Aside from hair loss, lots of waiting around, and a few minor headaches, I’ve been relatively unphased by the treatment so far. While on route to the hospital one morning, I overheard a story about a lady who had decided to cancel her future treatments due to bad experience – it once again made me realise how lucky I am to have not adversely reacted to all that is going on.
Day 29/30 – Tuesday/Wednesday (12th & 13th November 2019)
I’m not going to bore you to death – not much happened over these two days. Regular delays, regular treatment, regular hair loss. This abnormal routine is becoming more normal as the days go on, as I’m sure it will for many others too.
Day 31 – Thursday (14th November 2019)
Today one of my TMZ (chemo) tablets popped! I opened the peel-back container, and there was powder all over, and the capsule had split. As I take my tablet in-transit I take a few spares with me, and that cautiousness paid off today. Unlike over-the-counter medication, TMZ isn’t easy to get hold of – from very basic research, I’ve found that these tablets can cost nearly $1,000 in the US!
The large capsule on the left is an un-split example of the 140mg Temodal capsule.
Now, as mentioned in past articles, the chemicals inside the TMZ capsule can burn your skin if you touch them – disposing of a popped capsule, that’s a tricky one. Luckily I was at Maggie’s when this happened, so I put the popped capsule and its container into the bin and washed my hands.
I must not forget to bring this up in my clinic review on Monday, otherwise, I’ll be without chemo for my last session!
Day 32 – Friday (15th November 2019)
Another Friday, so another routine blood test. Today, instead of a nurse performing the blood test in a private room, I was sent to the haematology (blood) department. When called in, I sat opposite a lady who was also having her blood taken… Weird! Is that what being in a blood donation centre is like?
Day 33 – Saturday (16th November 2019)
This morning I took a trip out into a local village with my family for lunch. It’s nice to get away at the weekend and have a change of scenery, being at home, in a minibus, or at the hospital – it does get a little boring.
Once home, I started working a project for a proposed social enterprise I intend to launch. This enterprise is aimed at making fundraising and raising awareness easier and more cost-effective for charities. Currently, I’m conducting some research into donor habits, if you have a moment, it’d be great if you could complete this questionnaire (This has been removed).
I’ve always been known as a lunatic who would do multiple big projects at the same time – why stop now?!
Day 34 – Sunday (17th November 2019)
Another day out today, this time for a frosty walk around my village. I’m no photographer, but I do enjoy taking photos every so often to make these posts a little more bright and not too much block-text.
Woodland walk – I had to stand on the ledge of a bridge for this photo!
As I’ve harped on before, make sure that you’re well wrapped up when outside in the cold weather. Chemo and Radio can weaken your immune system, so it’s better to avoid getting cold and making yourself even more susceptible to illness…
Day 35 – Monday (18th November 2019)
Today was another super-quiet day at the hospital. Had my chemo tablet been absorbed, I’d have been able to get into my radiotherapy session 45 minutes early – If only that happened every day!
In my clinic review, I did remember to bring up the popped TMZ, phew! It was easy to replace, no questions asked – my nurse ordered it from the pharmacy and it was ready to collect the next day.
A relatively low-key week this week, and now we’re on the home run. Once next week is over, I’m done for radiotherapy, and can enjoy a little relaxation with family and friends over the Christmas period. It feels weird to be this close to the end of phase 1 (Radiotherapy), what can I expect next?
