My inescapable journey

30/12/19 So bad news and some very very good news.  The very very good news is that the cancer has shrunk considerable and is definitely working!  Bad news I guess is more chemo. Instead of finishing middle of January, I’ll be finishing middle or end of February instead. Depending on some symptoms I’ve been having with my fingertips. I’ve been getting neuropathy, which is where the nerves in the body's extremities, such as the hands, feet, fingers, toes and arms, are damaged. I have been experiencing numbness in my fingertips and tingling sensation. The oncologist today, said that is common from the Paclitaxol chemotherapy.  If the symptoms get worse; they will stop that specific chemotherapy. But continue with the Carboplatin.  The CT scan showed that there was no ‘new’ growths and the lymph nodes have definitely shrunk and not got any worse!   The annoying bit is that the MRI I had done originally in October, before any chemo...

Chemotherapy on Christmas Eve can you even imagine? I would of thought Christmas Eve, I’d be spending the day doing last minute bits. In the afternoon picking Erin up from nursery and then watching Christmas films eating chocolate. Have a nice bubble bath together and then put on our pj’s and leave our mince pie, carrot and milk for Santa.  But first of all chemo! 9/12!  On the countdown to finishing now!  This is my view today, 2 empty chairs! It is surprisingly quiet down here today.  Today my daddy joined me for my session. Luckily it’s just the 1 bag so I am going to be feeling relatively human over Christmas!  I have unfortunately got a water infection so had to go to the GP today to pick up some antibiotics. I thought it was a bit of cystitis but I took those gross sachet and they haven’t done the trick. This is standard routine for Kayleigh. When I’m feeling run down, I get psoriasis and a UTI. Been the same for at least 10years the UTI side of ...

On the countdown now! To both Christmas and the end of this cycle of treatment!  17/12/19 I didn’t get to take a photo today, mostly because I was knackered, did chemo on my own today, and I hadn’t charged my phone. So i decided to have a sleep during my treatment.  Erin was off nursery today, so James stayed home so I could have my treatment this afternoon! It’s all go go go when you have a child and working parents and working in laws when it comes to child care! But I’d rather her stay indoors and be warm and fight whatever it is she has!  Am not going to lie with the symptoms on here. But I am having some issues with my Bowles. This constipation is no joke! I mentioned to the nurse and today she said about taking some Dulcolax to try and help soften things and help. But it is making me so uncomfortable I could cry! I am going to take some tonight and see how that feels tomorrow.  My white bloods were low today, lowest they have been for 8weeks. I think t...

It feels so good to say that I’m over the halfway point!  It has gone incredibly quick!  10/12/19 This is my face when the realisation is that it is a double whammy of chemotherapy! Paclitaxol and Carboplatin!  I’m hoping that my oncologist remembers the conversation and is able to give me the stronger dose of anti sickness medication when I take my weekly pills home.  This week I have my works Christmas party on Saturday and I’d really like to be able to go and have some fun with my work lot. Plus I have paid a lot of my partner so I’ll be annoyed if I don’t go!  Systems were agogo today as normal. White bloods, dropped from last week but still within a safe limit to go ahead with treatment. Prior to treatment today, I am feeling absolutely knackered and tired. Still have a slight remnant cough from this weird chest infection. But I did have a chest X-ray today to see if anything showing on there. My oncologist did say yesterday it probably is just ...

Potentially good news today.  Had an appointment with my oncologist today. Normally prior to my paclitaxol and carboplatin treatments I see her to have a follow up, check weight, go through any symptoms.  She had a feel of the mass and said it definitely feels smaller!  YAY!  I have not wanted to try and feel it because I was scared incase there was no change and then feel crap! But she said it felt smaller!  I do have a MRI scan booked in on 11/12/19 to see how it’s all going and also I have a CT scan on my chest, abdomen and pelvis on 19/12/19. She did comment that they may/may not do further chemotherapy after these 4cycles have been finished, IF (operative word being IF) there is a good response from this treatment. So I may not have the ‘EC’ treatment.  The concern with the ‘EC’ treatment that they were going to do, is that it affects the heart. Because of my heart failure, they are still sceptical about doing it.  My oncologist s...

03/12/19 This was chemo number 6! Just the one bag this week! This is my face when I realised that I have now  accomplished 6sessions of chemotherapy. And now I’m on the other side of that hill!  In today’s session my dad came and joined me as unfortunately my Grandad is in hospital and he’s quite poorly. So it was nice to have my dad there! He joked that my Chemo should be replaced with rum.  I mean the side effects are the same as a bad hangover. Nauseous, tired, sick, upset tummy. And you definitely feel drunk when they give you all the pre-medication because it makes you a bit woozy!  This cough that I have is still holding me back ALOT. It’s keeping me awake at night and it’s straining my voice still. I’m not sure if it’s related to my heart medication, because everyone keeps saying heart meds give you a cough. But this is a chesty cough & not a dry cough. I do have an appointment this week about my heart failure. And I am going to the GP today, ...

26/11/19 This is me during chemo.  Knackered and exhausted from a week of sickness, bruised ribs from coughing and retching, still got a cold. But here I am smashing out 5/12!  Thanks for the photo Jim! Hahaha!  27/11/19 Symptoms wise was not that bad. Still feeling sore from the effects of the sickness last week and the coughing but not had any additional symptoms.  I have noticed that my nails are becoming very brittle and a bit flaky. I did read somewhere that having dark nail polish or a gel nail should be good to protect the nails. The next time I’m back in I am going to speak to one of the oncology nurses and see what the deal is with regards to some gel nails. I miss them. I also had a follow up appointment at the cardiologist today. So the heart medication I have been taken, has caused my heart rate to be fast. I have commented that I have been more ‘aware’ of my heart beating, but put it down to last week and being sick and having a co...