Yesterday I had the PET, nothing to report as it was really boring. Sara saved me with her patient wait with food to welcome me after a 8 hours fasting.
Then I had to run home pick up my basic stuff and head to hospital as they decided to get me in for good.
Of course I forgot a number of things. The worst though was to get to hospital and conclude there is no internet connection. Oulala what now? We will find a solution. A bite here a bite there, checks and more checks. Karl, the guy in the bed in front establishes communication and I start to settle. Got TV. Realized there is a nice alentejana Maria Ivone in the ward which will be helpful for my family. Then sleep.
OMG the noise. This is just like my worst nightmare staying at the hotel Crowne Plaza in Brussels. The central air conditioning doesn't stop. So had to sleep with ear plugs.
06:00 they wake me up for more checks. Around 07:30 I thought we were being invaded by a bounge of football fans. A lot of people speaking really loud. It was just the change of shift.
08:30 the doctors (4) arrive. I need an ultrasound to check if wound is healing. And they will start chemo Monday. Then one says and you need a bone marrow exam. And I went like what? Another one? False alarm. He didn't now I had had one already. They go away, another doctor comes back and says after all they spoke with Prof Bower and I should go home for a week to cure the wound!!!!
So if they don't change their minds I will pack again and go home.
29/10/2009
The Ward/ A Enfermaria
If you need to find me (except for my debts) I will be based at:
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
Thomas Macaulay Ward
2nd floor lift B.
Easy the hospital is in Fulham Road.
Do a google if you need the postal code.
Question for the lazy ones: how often will I be there?
Answer: full time and I will only go home here and there.
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
Thomas Macaulay Ward
2nd floor lift B.
Easy the hospital is in Fulham Road.
Do a google if you need the postal code.
Question for the lazy ones: how often will I be there?
Answer: full time and I will only go home here and there.
The beauties of a bone marrow exam
This one is done. It was ok a bit like going to the dentist. You fear the unknown the little pain. But at end all is fine.
You should try at home. Lie in fetal position in your kitchen table. Then find a very thin screw and get a friend to start digging into your bone like if he was opening a bottle of vintage port.Carefully, gently. Make sure you are sufficiently drunk not to feel anything.And make sure you extract bone, otherwise you need to repeat it all over again. One of this tools to prepare pinapple separating skin from fruit would be even better but in nano size.
Lol. Bottomline you got the picture. A bone marrow exam is a piece of cake. Can I eat now? Nope still have a PET to go.
You should try at home. Lie in fetal position in your kitchen table. Then find a very thin screw and get a friend to start digging into your bone like if he was opening a bottle of vintage port.Carefully, gently. Make sure you are sufficiently drunk not to feel anything.And make sure you extract bone, otherwise you need to repeat it all over again. One of this tools to prepare pinapple separating skin from fruit would be even better but in nano size.
Lol. Bottomline you got the picture. A bone marrow exam is a piece of cake. Can I eat now? Nope still have a PET to go.
PLEASE READ MY FRIENDS
Guys, not to mention Girls,
1- I love you all, but chemo implies that I will have little patience for people. So if I don't return your calls, e-mails, sms, immediately, please don't take it personnally and don't quit on me.
2 - The mobile and computer can not be switched on with me at my bed. They fear I could become addicted! Kidding...it can interfere with treatment machines in the ward. I will need to go to a visitors room to use it.
3 - If you would like to visit me, please always let me know in advance, so that my PA (yes I am finalling getting a PA...and the best, myself) when free of chemo can check who is already coming. This way we avoid having too many people at same time...as tiring, remember? Also, for those coming from abroad you can stay at my place if there is space available, OK.
4 - For those staying at my place, always make sure you wash your linen (no worries, there is a washing machine) for the next ones. Leave it drying and after the cleaning lady will do the rest.
5 - Will I want you to buy me something? YES YES oh YES. For those of you in Portugal, sending me a VISAO, Caras and something as light as will be wonderful. Again warn me in advance to check who is sending so that I don't end up long in stock of Caras as a newsstand. For those in London, bring me a newspaper or a light magazine. No Economist alikes or you will kill me of boredom. FT? Well their How to spend it Magazine is pretty inspiring. DVD's and books I should be able to buy on internet.
1- I love you all, but chemo implies that I will have little patience for people. So if I don't return your calls, e-mails, sms, immediately, please don't take it personnally and don't quit on me.
2 - The mobile and computer can not be switched on with me at my bed. They fear I could become addicted! Kidding...it can interfere with treatment machines in the ward. I will need to go to a visitors room to use it.
3 - If you would like to visit me, please always let me know in advance, so that my PA (yes I am finalling getting a PA...and the best, myself) when free of chemo can check who is already coming. This way we avoid having too many people at same time...as tiring, remember? Also, for those coming from abroad you can stay at my place if there is space available, OK.
4 - For those staying at my place, always make sure you wash your linen (no worries, there is a washing machine) for the next ones. Leave it drying and after the cleaning lady will do the rest.
5 - Will I want you to buy me something? YES YES oh YES. For those of you in Portugal, sending me a VISAO, Caras and something as light as will be wonderful. Again warn me in advance to check who is sending so that I don't end up long in stock of Caras as a newsstand. For those in London, bring me a newspaper or a light magazine. No Economist alikes or you will kill me of boredom. FT? Well their How to spend it Magazine is pretty inspiring. DVD's and books I should be able to buy on internet.
Identifying the type and treatment
So...lymphoma. Yep a high grade one. Meaning more aggressive (ah Tiger), but easier to attack with chemo. More details on his grace depend on further exams that will take place in a few hours. A bone marrow followed by a PET, that I insist on calling PAT. These plus the CT I did last Friday will determine the exact type and extension of the problem. Then rest tomorrow and may the infection of the biopsy cut allow it, treatment should start Monday 2nd.
Now on treatment. Please read carefully as I shall not repeat this twice. Chemo will be administered in hospital. I WILL BE FULL TIME IN HOSPITAL. Going home will be limited to a weekend here and there that doctors can not determine upfront. It depends on evolution of treatment and body reaction. My chemo implies that the immune system will be at low levels several times causing infections. Reason why I need to be in hospital full time. So, again.....I will be in hospital full time and will only go out very irregularly.
Saving you the full details, chemo will be administered in different ways and taking different times. 2 hours one day, drip for 24 hours another day, injections to the bone marrow here and there and so on. They will even give me salt?! I hope is the good Portuguese one. At the end thank God it is just salt, I have mixed it with 'sauda caustica' (don't know the translation), something that basically would have burn me all inside! If you are of a curious nature I will make sure that when you visit me doctors can also apply you a bit so that you taste the real thing. Nice, hein?
Now on treatment. Please read carefully as I shall not repeat this twice. Chemo will be administered in hospital. I WILL BE FULL TIME IN HOSPITAL. Going home will be limited to a weekend here and there that doctors can not determine upfront. It depends on evolution of treatment and body reaction. My chemo implies that the immune system will be at low levels several times causing infections. Reason why I need to be in hospital full time. So, again.....I will be in hospital full time and will only go out very irregularly.
Saving you the full details, chemo will be administered in different ways and taking different times. 2 hours one day, drip for 24 hours another day, injections to the bone marrow here and there and so on. They will even give me salt?! I hope is the good Portuguese one. At the end thank God it is just salt, I have mixed it with 'sauda caustica' (don't know the translation), something that basically would have burn me all inside! If you are of a curious nature I will make sure that when you visit me doctors can also apply you a bit so that you taste the real thing. Nice, hein?
28/10/2009
E tudo um dia comecou
Friday 23 de Outubro...black out, tears without blood and sweat.
Going to a routine consultation to hear about a biopsy result. Not really scared since the surgeon kept saying it was nothing. He even didn't want to do it. Thank God he was beaten by the rest and biopsy was done. Outcome: Lymphoma. Can't classify him as a nasty bastard or something nicer since I don't really have the pleasure of knowing him. The acquaintance is growing faster though.
Going to a routine consultation to hear about a biopsy result. Not really scared since the surgeon kept saying it was nothing. He even didn't want to do it. Thank God he was beaten by the rest and biopsy was done. Outcome: Lymphoma. Can't classify him as a nasty bastard or something nicer since I don't really have the pleasure of knowing him. The acquaintance is growing faster though.
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