Hello everyone,
Thank you once again for reading my blog. Your ongoing support has been dearly appreciated and I am honoured at the suggestion to start a diary of my treatment in order to share my story!
Well, this has been one rough week for me. Although on Mother's Day I completed an 8km walk (with the assistance of a wheelchair of course) to raise money for Breast Cancer Research, by that evening I was feeling quite ill. My stubborness did not allow me to get myself to the nearest hospital, rather ignoring the instructions of my trusted oncologist to do so and did I learn my lesson!!
By Monday, the pain in my stomach from the nausea and vomiting was excruciating to the point where I couldn't stomach water, I was dehydrated, agitated and also exhausted from lack of sleep.
Off to hospital I went!!!!
Let me tell you, next time I have a side effect from chemo, off to a hospital I go IMMEDIATELY...
The diagnosis is that I had severe gastritis which is a result not only from the chemo drugs but also from the dexamethasone (prescribed as an anti-emetic) that I was popping in the hope to relieve my vomiting and I was admitted to hospital for monitoring.
Now, since I had my mastectomy 4 weeks ago, my veins in my right arm have relapsed and unfortunately I can't have any IV, bloods etc in my left arm anymore so I was scheduled to have a PICC inserted on Tuesday (for those that are unsure what a PICC is please visit http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/QAs/569). Everything went as planned with the PICC insertion but at 11pm on Tuesday night, while the nurse was changing my IV drip, she noticed that 1 litre of fluid was sitting in my arm!! After consulting the on-call doctor, the IV was stopped until further investigation.
The following day it was confirmed that I had several blood clots in my arm including a deep vein thrombosis!! Now my treatment also includes twice daily injections of Clexane to my stomach for the entire duration of my treatment. My next chemotherapy date has also been postponed as I will be admitted again to hospital on the 28th with a "portacath" insertion (once again for those unsure http://www.uhc.com.au/healthwise/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&...) scheduled for the 29th May.
Here is hoping that everything will run smoothly and my next chemo treatment will occur shortly after. I will keep you all posted!!. I have to run now as I have been allowed out of hospital on "day leave" and I have to be back by 8pm for my next shot!!! Fingers crossed that I am discharged tomorrow...
Have a fantastic weekend...
P.s. I hope you like my updated photo of Tony (my partner) and I....