Postponing the Inevitable
Last Wednesday, my right nostril started to run. I didn’t think much of it at the time, other than to avoid leaning forward as much as possible. And anyway, I was far too busy to worry about a little runny nose.
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Chemo Cycle Two - Halfway Through
Second chemo Friday started much the same as most days in the clinic. I handed in my card and waited. But this time was going to be a little different. I was a blood test graduate, having passed with (almost) flying colours and this meant that I got to skip a step in the whole procedure.
Heading into Halfway
One of the toughest aspects of dealing with something like cancer while living in a rural environment, is the logistics around treatment. Aberdeen is located about 3 hours drive from PE and 8 hours drive from Cape Town. This means that every trip to a hospital requires major planning and time away from home.
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Hair today, gone ...?
Chemotherapy is like the gift that just keeps giving. Each new day brings a new surprise side-effect, like insomnia or mouth ulcers or unquenchable thirst. It truly is a wonder drug. But, the one side-effect I have been expecting is the hair loss.
Side-effects and self-pity
Despite the warning to disregard all information relating to the side-effects of chemo, the common side-effects one expects to experience are diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. So, I was fully prepared for the imminent onset of these symptoms.
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Of chemo, Christmas and cops and robbers
Christmas Eve. The dreaded first chemo day had arrived and I had barely slept the night before. The weather was miserable and so was I. We arrived punctually at 08h00 and checked in at the front desk.
Of arrivals, anniversaries and impending alopecia
The last few days have certainly come with ups and downs. My family arrived en masse from Aberdeen on Saturday, replete with scenes of National Lampoons Vacation. Nik, Josh, Annie, my mom-in-law and all four dogs pulled into the driveway 10 hours after leaving Aberdeen.
Back to the future!
On Wednesday I had to return to the Outpatients Department at Groote Schuur for my post-op follow-up. So, Hilary and I headed back to the hospital at 08.00, turned right instead of left in the tunnel of C Floor, walked through a deserted corridor, caught the lift to E Floor, marched through the ENT clinic and the Outpatients Pharmacy and headed into the Outpatients Department.
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Not another bloody bombshell?
On Friday, 10 December, I received a call from the Combined Clinic at Groote Schuur to say that the doctor had asked me to come in on Monday, 13 December instead of the following week as scheduled.
Day Three - The food keeps getting better
At 4.45am that bastard with the fake coffee was back. It’s bad enough not being a morning person but they have to torment you with such weak coffee that not even scientific testing would detect the caffeine?
Day 2
Day two in hospital dawned, about 2 hours after we had been woken up by the coffee trolley. Coffee might be too strong a word to describe what we were served, however. Groote Schuur obviously rations their coffee beans and based on the strength of the swill, I would imagine they use one bean wrapped in an old sock, per day, for the entire hospital.
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Day One – Groote Schuur
Having been told that my operation was being done on Monday, 29 November, I thought it best to check whether or not I should follow a “nil-per-mouth” regime on the Sunday night.
Hair Today, Gone...?
Married to Nik, a Hungarian Count, mother to Joshua (15) and Annie (11), with a budding career in politics, Sam writes for Bioharmony about how she deals with cancer while she gets on with her life.
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