It was the weekly trip to the GP today always a time of deep joy.
The first things she did was listen to my chest and thought it remarkable that there were only a few crackles.......she then asked if I had my appointment through for the Prof.
9th March - no earlier? - no, why should it be? - because you've had cancer - yes, and I was only given the all clear on 12th Jan, it was purely in my breast, never spread , didn't need chemo and will just spend 5 years on Tamoxifen - oh I thought he'd see you just like that - er, no. Cancer doesn't work that way. 2 weeks isnt an issue, and I'm a private patient.
Huge sigh from Doctor - I've panicked haven't I ? YES BIG STYLE!
She admitted that she hadn't listened to what I had been telling her about my early tree pollen allergy , she admitted that she didn't look back to see what had happened in previous years and how we've dealt with it.
She just didn't listen .......she saw the C word and panicked!
One thing we have agreed on is another set of antibiotics just to clear up whatever is left, another round of blood tests to see how my aneamia is going and I think she wants to book a CT scan just to be on the safe side......I'm sure I can stall that until I've seen the Prof on the 9th, it seems a waste of resources to me.
I can't exercise for another week so I'm falling further and further behind but dont worry , I can catch up :)
Friday 25 February 2011
Thursday 17 February 2011
One phone call too far
Today I went to Docs for results of chest X-ray - I have pneumonia. What a great result!
During our discussion she said she was still concerned about my blood work , still ESR high, she asked me if I had finished taking the antibiotics - she didn't give me any! Loops , she meant too. She then wondered if I needed a scan ' just in case '. Stop right there!!! I do not have lung cancer!!!!
Just as I was watching Midsomer for the umpteenth time the phone rang , it was the GP. She had been speaking to the cancer people and she want me to to go back and see the Prof! Considering he only gave me the all clear on 12th Jan I bet he was really happy!!!
I'm sure by the time I get the appoint with Prof Barrett Lee I'm sure the antibiotics she eventually gave me would have worked and I will be right as rain.
Oh and by not drinking and following a decent diet and upping exercise I've lost weight this year. About 2 pounds a week which is sensible .......I don't think I'm wasting away due to cancer.
Being very practical about this as the breast cancer didn't reach the lymph nodes I find it highly unlikely thats it's gone walkabout round the rest of my body.
I think if I had a £150k a year salary to protect I'd chuck me over the fence for someone else to deal with too.
I know my body ,this is nothing serious , this is just an infection that's has been mismanaged. That is all. I will survive, I will run the Cardiff 1/2 marathon, I will live my life to the full.
During our discussion she said she was still concerned about my blood work , still ESR high, she asked me if I had finished taking the antibiotics - she didn't give me any! Loops , she meant too. She then wondered if I needed a scan ' just in case '. Stop right there!!! I do not have lung cancer!!!!
Just as I was watching Midsomer for the umpteenth time the phone rang , it was the GP. She had been speaking to the cancer people and she want me to to go back and see the Prof! Considering he only gave me the all clear on 12th Jan I bet he was really happy!!!
I'm sure by the time I get the appoint with Prof Barrett Lee I'm sure the antibiotics she eventually gave me would have worked and I will be right as rain.
Oh and by not drinking and following a decent diet and upping exercise I've lost weight this year. About 2 pounds a week which is sensible .......I don't think I'm wasting away due to cancer.
Being very practical about this as the breast cancer didn't reach the lymph nodes I find it highly unlikely thats it's gone walkabout round the rest of my body.
I think if I had a £150k a year salary to protect I'd chuck me over the fence for someone else to deal with too.
I know my body ,this is nothing serious , this is just an infection that's has been mismanaged. That is all. I will survive, I will run the Cardiff 1/2 marathon, I will live my life to the full.
Sunday 13 February 2011
Best made plans and all that
Today I was planning to attend my first full yoga day with Mary at Bridge Cottage.I'd even prepared my liver and spinach casserole to take with me to share (still trying hard to manage my anaemia). The day starts at 10 and finishes at 3 and she only does 7 a year. To say I was really looking forward to it was an understatement , especially as the Tuesday afternoon sessions have stopped.
You could have knocked me down with a feather when David woke me at 930 and asked if I was going . 930 ! Sleeping this long has been unheard of for the last 5 weeks. I don't mind missing yoga for a good sleep, I'll try and get to one of the evening classes , it's time I stepped it up a gear. Let's see what Jason can do to me!
It's pouring with rain here today so I may just go round some garden centres and get some ideas for the spring/ summer. I'm still coughing like a good un, but I do think the new antihistamines are helping.
Oh - popped on the scales yesterday and I've lost 13 pounds since the start of the year without even trying. Imagine what it will be when I get into my training once I'm well enough.
My counsellor gave me some homework to do this week, I have to keep a diary of what went well, what didn't and what could be better. Guess what's going in for today ?
You could have knocked me down with a feather when David woke me at 930 and asked if I was going . 930 ! Sleeping this long has been unheard of for the last 5 weeks. I don't mind missing yoga for a good sleep, I'll try and get to one of the evening classes , it's time I stepped it up a gear. Let's see what Jason can do to me!
It's pouring with rain here today so I may just go round some garden centres and get some ideas for the spring/ summer. I'm still coughing like a good un, but I do think the new antihistamines are helping.
Oh - popped on the scales yesterday and I've lost 13 pounds since the start of the year without even trying. Imagine what it will be when I get into my training once I'm well enough.
My counsellor gave me some homework to do this week, I have to keep a diary of what went well, what didn't and what could be better. Guess what's going in for today ?
Wednesday 9 February 2011
Taking advice has never been on of my strong points
Went for my asthma review this week and Anne took one look at my blood count and uttered the immortal words - gosh you must be tired!
Having been told for the last 7 months that the cancer treatment would make me tired I guess I never even noticed, just thought it was normal, turns out that having a blood count of 10 isn't great news! I've started taking feroglobin liquid and mighty gross it is too, so I'm ditching that and concentrating on iron rich foods instead. Can highly recommend curly kale omelette.
Another piece of advice Ann gave me was not to do too much for a week or two ..... At least until the result of my chest X-ray and the next bloods are known. Erm ....... I'm not liking the sound of that so I've made myself a promise, no gym or running this week , just Zumba and walking. It's not sitting well with me but if I don't look after myself I'm not going to be able to do anything!
I've started back at work too , only mornings , but it's a start, and I'm glad I work from home coz my early morning routine is non existent:) it is making me tired so I try and get my feet up for an hour , that's where I am now , in bed on my iPad .
I'm seeing my counsellor this afternoon, I want to talk to him about the way I felt when I had my chest X-ray yesterday . I fair had a wobble , tears the lot, it just brought back to me the weeks of radiotherapy , and of course I am terrified they will find something else.
It's easy for you to say don't worry , but you're not me , you haven't been through it , and until you do you won't know , so don't bother wasting your breath by telling me not to worry or keep my chin up. Keep your thoughts to yourself and get on with your life , there's no need to worry about mine - I have it under control.
Now if I can follow Ann's advice , you can surely follow mine :)
Having been told for the last 7 months that the cancer treatment would make me tired I guess I never even noticed, just thought it was normal, turns out that having a blood count of 10 isn't great news! I've started taking feroglobin liquid and mighty gross it is too, so I'm ditching that and concentrating on iron rich foods instead. Can highly recommend curly kale omelette.
Another piece of advice Ann gave me was not to do too much for a week or two ..... At least until the result of my chest X-ray and the next bloods are known. Erm ....... I'm not liking the sound of that so I've made myself a promise, no gym or running this week , just Zumba and walking. It's not sitting well with me but if I don't look after myself I'm not going to be able to do anything!
I've started back at work too , only mornings , but it's a start, and I'm glad I work from home coz my early morning routine is non existent:) it is making me tired so I try and get my feet up for an hour , that's where I am now , in bed on my iPad .
I'm seeing my counsellor this afternoon, I want to talk to him about the way I felt when I had my chest X-ray yesterday . I fair had a wobble , tears the lot, it just brought back to me the weeks of radiotherapy , and of course I am terrified they will find something else.
It's easy for you to say don't worry , but you're not me , you haven't been through it , and until you do you won't know , so don't bother wasting your breath by telling me not to worry or keep my chin up. Keep your thoughts to yourself and get on with your life , there's no need to worry about mine - I have it under control.
Now if I can follow Ann's advice , you can surely follow mine :)
Saturday 5 February 2011
Anaemic or not I'm going in!
Well it's been a bit of a strange week for me. Popped in to have my pnuemonia jab on Friday and the Nurse said ' the doctor needs to see you about your recent blood test'. I was whisked in there and then 1 - I'm anaemic and 2 - my ESR rate is sky high which means I'm fighting something. No shit - I've had a chest infection for 3 weeks and am fighting the pollen from the hazel trees. So i need to have them done again and go to the hospital for a chest infection.......oh and to top it all as we've not long returned from Zanzibar she's not ruling out Malaria. Yeah whatever!
So today I hauled my tired anaemic arse to the gym, after drinking the vile haemoglobin drink, and just for the record this is what my gym routine looks like ( I sneaked the card out so I got it right ).
5 min warm up on any cardio machine
30 chest flyes on swiss ball 2kg wieghts - dont forget Ive had an op in this area
30 Bosu lunges - to strengthen my ankle muscles
10 back extensions on Swiss ball
30 Lat pull downs 15kg
30 leg presses 50kg
10 calf rasies 50kg
bike quickstart level 5 70rpm for 1 min then 2 mins level 3110 rpm repeat for 10 minutes
Stepper level 6 build up to 10 minutes - yeah like that gonna happen!
Im not finding it easy , I hate the bike but its all designed to help me build stamina in my legs :)
Oh and by the way - we've lost the poly tunnel in the wind. Whooooosh!
So today I hauled my tired anaemic arse to the gym, after drinking the vile haemoglobin drink, and just for the record this is what my gym routine looks like ( I sneaked the card out so I got it right ).
5 min warm up on any cardio machine
30 chest flyes on swiss ball 2kg wieghts - dont forget Ive had an op in this area
30 Bosu lunges - to strengthen my ankle muscles
10 back extensions on Swiss ball
30 Lat pull downs 15kg
30 leg presses 50kg
10 calf rasies 50kg
bike quickstart level 5 70rpm for 1 min then 2 mins level 3110 rpm repeat for 10 minutes
Stepper level 6 build up to 10 minutes - yeah like that gonna happen!
Im not finding it easy , I hate the bike but its all designed to help me build stamina in my legs :)
Oh and by the way - we've lost the poly tunnel in the wind. Whooooosh!
Wednesday 2 February 2011
Back on track
Feel so much better today , finally think this bastard bug is going.
Picked up my training schedule to see that today it would be walk 2 run 3 - it's not raining so I thought the park. Donning my new running tights ( leaving nothing to the imagination ) and running top, headphones and stop watch at the ready I headed out.
I didnt anticipate so much mud! It was very slippery and bloody cold and ofcourse I'd forgotten about the poisonous trees. But I did my 20 minutes and Im very pleased I did. Im now sat in front of Biggest Losers eating porridge to get my next burst of inspiration.
I've got my blood tests this afternoon....... deep joy. May treat myself to a swim and sauna later.
Oh and I'd better mop up the mess I made in the kitchen ...................I dropped a bottle of salad dressing. Butter fingers!
Picked up my training schedule to see that today it would be walk 2 run 3 - it's not raining so I thought the park. Donning my new running tights ( leaving nothing to the imagination ) and running top, headphones and stop watch at the ready I headed out.
I didnt anticipate so much mud! It was very slippery and bloody cold and ofcourse I'd forgotten about the poisonous trees. But I did my 20 minutes and Im very pleased I did. Im now sat in front of Biggest Losers eating porridge to get my next burst of inspiration.
I've got my blood tests this afternoon....... deep joy. May treat myself to a swim and sauna later.
Oh and I'd better mop up the mess I made in the kitchen ...................I dropped a bottle of salad dressing. Butter fingers!
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