Chemotherapy - Week 8. A mixed response
When you have no control over the daily changes in your
body, your life has been completely disrupted and medical staff are constantly
invading your body with needles - a routine brings comfort and light
relief. In my previous chemotherapy
post, I wrote about how we had started getting into a comfortable routine. Every 3 weeks, a cycle of chemo which
consisted of:
Week 1. Massively
tired and exhausted - everyone on high alert.
Week 2. Energy
returns and mum starts to do more.
Week 3. A period
where mum regains strength and confidence in preparation for the next cycle.
Cancer shocked us again yesterday in good and bad ways. My mum had her regular appointment with her
oncologist where he raised concerns about the remaining fluid in her abdomen
which should have subsided by now. So
there are doubts as to whether the chemotherapy is working which is causing us
huge worries and then the biggest shock of all, my mum has a date for surgery. So the next appointment should be with a
surgeon.
What amazing news!!!!
We are in complete and utter shock.
We were told that surgery was not an option and now a date for the
surgery has been scheduled.
My mum will need a CT scan to check her progress and the MDT
need to review her case but the fact we are even talking about surgery for my
mother is great news in her treatment plan.
We are apprehensive and again there is more uncertainty and a change to
our comfortable routine but we are extremely excited about this news but also
very apprehensive as she has seen a mixed response to her chemotherapy. So you see again, another rollercoaster of
emotions and what they don't tell you about cancer within the various fact
sheets and information booklets is the huge highs and lows that you will
encounter on a daily basis. At times,
there is immense sadness as the pressure of waiting for a phone call slowly
drags you down and then huge elation as hope shines a light on you. It is for this reason that I finally
understand the true value of charities such as Maggie's and Oncology nurses on
standby ready to answer questions and show compassion where busy Oncologists'
fail to do so. Without them and this
blog, I think I may have gone crazy by now.
So for now, we are slowly adjusting to the latest piece of
news and trying to get on with life as much as possible. Chemotherapy has been
suspended whilst my mum hears about surgery (enough time needs to have past
before embarking on surgery as chemotherapy can seriously weaken the immune
system and surgery is like running a marathon).
My nephews and nieces have been visiting these last two weekends and
there is still the continual grind of hospital visits.
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