Well after being dosed up on morphine and paracetemal all week my pain was deemed bearable enough for me to come home. I've been asked to score my pain on a 1 to 10 basis all week. I noticed its always 1-2 if I dont breathe, 2-4 if I breathe and between 5 and 8 if I move. I decided it best not to breathe.
The side effect of the morphine is that my bowels havent moved for a week, despite plenty of persuasion - all-bran, dried apricots, lactulose, Movicol, senna tablets and two enema's have failed to shift it. It's like trying to get rid of Freddy Shepherd at Newcastle!
I was told I could go home on Saturday but the lack of bowel movement and dizzyness caused by changing to different painkillers, as well as the excitement of watching the England match (not) was too much and I was ordered to stay in.
Finally, with the help of a rather large enema, the heavens opened this morning and I instantly lost 2 inches from mid-riff. That, together with a few pounds surgically removed from me last week shows that cancer is medically proven as a viable alternative to the Atkins Diet.
I'm coming home, looking fitter than when I went in!
Monday, 4 June 2007
Friday, 1 June 2007
Am I in heaven..?
I vaguely remember drifting in and out of consciousness in the Recovery room. The nurses seemed prettier in there but it's probably the effect of the morphine - I guess it works like beer-goggles?
Got lots of lines in me in varying places - 1 large chest drain, one small chest drain, 1 PVB line dispensing painkiller directly into my chest area, one patient administered morphine line (click to make you happy!), something else in my jugular vein and two other lines in the arm. Oh and I had a catheter in for my wee-wee, and it took me a while to realise where it went.....and it makes you weep when the pull it out!!
Thought I'd be there for an easy time, but no, they get me out of bed and make me start walking on the spot, start doing some heavy breathing and start coughing...the most feeble, pathetic of coughs as its too painful. Click, click, click....aargh, thats better..!
Oh, and the surgery went well. Tumour removed along with another suspicious bit that will be tested. Scar not as bad as expected - about 9 inches and no visible stitches!
Got lots of lines in me in varying places - 1 large chest drain, one small chest drain, 1 PVB line dispensing painkiller directly into my chest area, one patient administered morphine line (click to make you happy!), something else in my jugular vein and two other lines in the arm. Oh and I had a catheter in for my wee-wee, and it took me a while to realise where it went.....and it makes you weep when the pull it out!!
Thought I'd be there for an easy time, but no, they get me out of bed and make me start walking on the spot, start doing some heavy breathing and start coughing...the most feeble, pathetic of coughs as its too painful. Click, click, click....aargh, thats better..!
Oh, and the surgery went well. Tumour removed along with another suspicious bit that will be tested. Scar not as bad as expected - about 9 inches and no visible stitches!
Monday, 28 May 2007
Last Supper
Steak for dinner - on the NHS (well it is a private ward). I'm nil by mouth after midnight, ready for 8am start. That means I'll be the surgeons first operation after the bank holiday - doesnt he need some practice first?!?!
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Checked he had a steady hand...!
Met the surgeon today. As ever they tend to exhibit a confident, almost arrogant, belief in themselves - something easy to loathe in anyone but a surgeon (and Stu), but its exactly the feeling you want from them!
Quick cut here, persuade the ribs to open up and your in. Whip out the tumour and surrounding tissue, have a rumage around for anything else while I'm in there and we're done!
We reviewed the results from CT scan earlier that afternoon and the tumour was there for all to see (about 3 o'clock on the image above). More concerning was the fact that there were two other tumours on my right lung. One had been there ever since my first scan two years ago - its never enlarged or showed as active on the PET scan and can be seen at approx. 11 o'clock on the scan above. The other one not shown on the above slice is approx. 5mm and appeared to be new addition to the family, although it hadn't registered as active on my recent PET scan. So that means there may be the option of having further surgery on the right lung, before chemo?
PS. the surgeon had steady hands, but a dodgy eye! Not sure which is worse?
Quick cut here, persuade the ribs to open up and your in. Whip out the tumour and surrounding tissue, have a rumage around for anything else while I'm in there and we're done!
We reviewed the results from CT scan earlier that afternoon and the tumour was there for all to see (about 3 o'clock on the image above). More concerning was the fact that there were two other tumours on my right lung. One had been there ever since my first scan two years ago - its never enlarged or showed as active on the PET scan and can be seen at approx. 11 o'clock on the scan above. The other one not shown on the above slice is approx. 5mm and appeared to be new addition to the family, although it hadn't registered as active on my recent PET scan. So that means there may be the option of having further surgery on the right lung, before chemo?
PS. the surgeon had steady hands, but a dodgy eye! Not sure which is worse?
Monday, 21 May 2007
What are you doing this afternoon, sir?
Who says the health service can't move quickly?
After prevaricating for 6 weeks over which treatment to have I receive a call from Michael Dusmet, surgeon at the Royal Brompton hospital. "I've been asked by the Royal Marsden to take the tumour out of your lung, what are you doing this afternoon?" he asked.
I liked his style but not wanting him to rush into things (and the fact that I didn't have my toothbrush on me) I settled for meeting him on Wednesday, with surgery scheduled for the following Tuesday 29th May.
This at least fitted in with my plans to visit York for the weekend and visit some old friends (yes Nigel and Jerry, you are old!). Might be the last beers I have for a while!
After prevaricating for 6 weeks over which treatment to have I receive a call from Michael Dusmet, surgeon at the Royal Brompton hospital. "I've been asked by the Royal Marsden to take the tumour out of your lung, what are you doing this afternoon?" he asked.
I liked his style but not wanting him to rush into things (and the fact that I didn't have my toothbrush on me) I settled for meeting him on Wednesday, with surgery scheduled for the following Tuesday 29th May.
This at least fitted in with my plans to visit York for the weekend and visit some old friends (yes Nigel and Jerry, you are old!). Might be the last beers I have for a while!
Saturday, 19 May 2007
What's the plan?
In advance of High Dose Chemotherpay (HDC) I was prepared for a stem cell harvest which involved my giving myself nightly injections of growth factor for four days and then being connected to a centrifuge harvesting machine. Two sessions allowed them collect enough stem cells for one HDC cycle, but not quite enough for two, but they can try and collect more after my first course of normal chemo.
After much confusion I was finally scheduled to commence standard chemo cycle on 24th May, though the consultant, after some prompting did advise that they would discuss my case in more detail, particularly in relation to the surgery option. Having HDC first may mean there is nothing for the surgeon left to find; surgery first may simply delay the inevitable and increase chance of cancer spreading elsewhere.
Frustration!!! The standard treatment regime doesn't seem to extend to a second re-lapse, thus there is no standard approach - more of 'seat of your pants' type of approach, not helped by seeimg three different different consultants at the Royal Marsden (RMH) each of whom appeared to have only just picked up my file, did little to instill confidence in the decision making process!
A phone call at 8.30pm confirmed that after discussing the options the RMH team had decided that surgery first was the best plan of attack. It was decided that in the absence of being able to confirm whether my hip area is cancerous (a follow-up PET scan was inconcluisve) removing the known tumour surgically would give me a chance of not having to go through HDC - they would assess my AFP tumour marker after surgery and if it continued to drop as expected they could review the HDC option. If it didn't then it's HDC as originally planned, but with the risk of chemo not fully killing off the lung tumour removed.
Well at least there is now a plan!!!
After much confusion I was finally scheduled to commence standard chemo cycle on 24th May, though the consultant, after some prompting did advise that they would discuss my case in more detail, particularly in relation to the surgery option. Having HDC first may mean there is nothing for the surgeon left to find; surgery first may simply delay the inevitable and increase chance of cancer spreading elsewhere.
Frustration!!! The standard treatment regime doesn't seem to extend to a second re-lapse, thus there is no standard approach - more of 'seat of your pants' type of approach, not helped by seeimg three different different consultants at the Royal Marsden (RMH) each of whom appeared to have only just picked up my file, did little to instill confidence in the decision making process!
A phone call at 8.30pm confirmed that after discussing the options the RMH team had decided that surgery first was the best plan of attack. It was decided that in the absence of being able to confirm whether my hip area is cancerous (a follow-up PET scan was inconcluisve) removing the known tumour surgically would give me a chance of not having to go through HDC - they would assess my AFP tumour marker after surgery and if it continued to drop as expected they could review the HDC option. If it didn't then it's HDC as originally planned, but with the risk of chemo not fully killing off the lung tumour removed.
Well at least there is now a plan!!!
Monday, 2 April 2007
Here we go again...
Once again a routine blood test in February showed elevated AFP levels, which continued to increase with further tests. A PET/CT scan confirmed a 6mm tumour in my left upper lung with a further suspicion of a tumour in my left hip-bone.
With the options for further treatment limited I was referred from my oncologist to the specialist team at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton. Options included High Dose Chemotherpary (HDC) with stem cell rescue and probably surgery, with the RMH to assess my suitability. The hip area would require separate radiotherapy at some point, likely after the chemo.
The HDC option was confirmed at the Royal Marsden, who advised that they would if possible wish to repeat the HDC cycle twice. The HDC itself would likely be pre-empted by two cycles of normal chemo, in order assess the chemo-response of the tumour. The option of surgery either before or after HDC was also to be reviewed.
HDC involves intense levels of chemo given over four days. The effect is that it wipes out your blood cells and bone marrow, so by re-injecting you with your own stem cells it is hoped that it will help your body recover quicker. HDC leaves you at risk from infections as your immune system is reduced. With the stem cell rescue you could be in hospital for 4-6 weeks depending on how your body responds.
Look like my summer is going to be buggered again!
With the options for further treatment limited I was referred from my oncologist to the specialist team at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton. Options included High Dose Chemotherpary (HDC) with stem cell rescue and probably surgery, with the RMH to assess my suitability. The hip area would require separate radiotherapy at some point, likely after the chemo.
The HDC option was confirmed at the Royal Marsden, who advised that they would if possible wish to repeat the HDC cycle twice. The HDC itself would likely be pre-empted by two cycles of normal chemo, in order assess the chemo-response of the tumour. The option of surgery either before or after HDC was also to be reviewed.
HDC involves intense levels of chemo given over four days. The effect is that it wipes out your blood cells and bone marrow, so by re-injecting you with your own stem cells it is hoped that it will help your body recover quicker. HDC leaves you at risk from infections as your immune system is reduced. With the stem cell rescue you could be in hospital for 4-6 weeks depending on how your body responds.
Look like my summer is going to be buggered again!
Sunday, 1 April 2007
Saturday, 30 September 2006
CBOP/TIP - wish it was as much fun as it sounds!
Started a more intensive course of CBOP/TIP salvage chemotherapy, consisting of 4 cycles of CBOP (Carboplatin, Bleomycin, Vincristine, Cisplatin) given over 4 continuous weeks in hospital) followed by 3 cycles of TIP adminstered over a three 1 week in, 2 weeks off cycles.
The CBOP element meant being on a drip Monday through to Saturday continously. Home by Saturday lunchtime and then back in first thing Monday to start it all over again. As most other in-patients were having minor surgery and therefore only in for a few days, and all the other cancer patients were treated on an out-patient basis, I was almost a permanent resident for 4 weeks. The TIP element meant back to a less intense regime of 1 week in and two week at home, repeated for three cycles.
Worst bits: hospital food, the isolation of a private room, constipation from the drugs.
Best bits: having a 3g card on my laptop to help keep me in touch with the real world, the patience and dedication of the nurses, the isolation of a private room.
The CBOP element meant being on a drip Monday through to Saturday continously. Home by Saturday lunchtime and then back in first thing Monday to start it all over again. As most other in-patients were having minor surgery and therefore only in for a few days, and all the other cancer patients were treated on an out-patient basis, I was almost a permanent resident for 4 weeks. The TIP element meant back to a less intense regime of 1 week in and two week at home, repeated for three cycles.
Worst bits: hospital food, the isolation of a private room, constipation from the drugs.
Best bits: having a 3g card on my laptop to help keep me in touch with the real world, the patience and dedication of the nurses, the isolation of a private room.
Tuesday, 28 February 2006
2nd time round
Feb 2006
After being back at work for six months and having had monthly blood tests I arrived home from a weekend skiing in Morzine to open a letter advising my AFP level from my recent test was a little raised and suggesting I have another test. Further tests over the coming weeks showed AFP marker raised again. Subsequent CT and PET scans identified two metastases in my upper left lung - not what I wanted to hear.
A more intensive course of CBOP/TIP salvage chemotherapy was prescribed consisting of 4 cycles of CBOP (Carboplatin, Bleomycin, Vincristine, Cisplatin) given over 4 continuous weeks in hospital) followed by 3 cycles of TIP adminstered over a three 1 week in, 2 weeks off cycles.
Looks like I can write the summer off.
After being back at work for six months and having had monthly blood tests I arrived home from a weekend skiing in Morzine to open a letter advising my AFP level from my recent test was a little raised and suggesting I have another test. Further tests over the coming weeks showed AFP marker raised again. Subsequent CT and PET scans identified two metastases in my upper left lung - not what I wanted to hear.
A more intensive course of CBOP/TIP salvage chemotherapy was prescribed consisting of 4 cycles of CBOP (Carboplatin, Bleomycin, Vincristine, Cisplatin) given over 4 continuous weeks in hospital) followed by 3 cycles of TIP adminstered over a three 1 week in, 2 weeks off cycles.
Looks like I can write the summer off.
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