So after going to bed early on Friday night, that is basically all I did, not getting to sleep early or anything like that, did have a good stare at the back of my eyelids though, after about an hour or so I decided that I'd stick on a bit of music, couldn't read as the kindle was charging for tomorrow and it was a little too cold outside the blankets to sit on the computer. But then it was too warm under the blankets, so I was doing that in and out of the duvet dance trying to find the right proportion to be under and out, that lasted a few hours. No idea what time I finally got to sleep at but it was still dark...
Alarm went off nice and early the next morning and... it was still dark, up washed and then a small breakfast, I haven't really been that hungry the last few days and when I have ate it's made me a little nauseous, think one of the problems is that I'm eating too much though. I must remember I am only a small thing. Traffic didn't seem too bad on the way over to hospital today which meant I arrived a little earlier than normal, only by a couple of minutes, you'd think this would be a good thing but it basically means it'll be there those few minutes longer. Arrived about 7.50 and the reception doesn't open until 8, sat for a bit, but normally I let everyone else queue up and then go up myself after the queue goes, this time I went straight up and was first signed in, done the usual sit and read for a bit and got buzzed to go round to get the bloods taken, first time getting seen by this nurse, I've seen him around a few times but we were joking about the weather and that the rain annoys so many people, but where we live you'd think we'd be used to it and enjoy it, I know I do anyway.
That done I go back to take my seat and there was a couple that had stole my spot, so had to go to another corner so no one could sit beside me. Was going up to get my hot chocolate, that I've been going off slightly more and more each week, but before I made anything I checked to see if the canisters had hot water in them, they didn't so no hot chocolate, I wasn't even annoyed at this, I had a feeling that this is going to be how today would be with my lack of sleep and then getting doped up a bit later for the chemo. After a bit more reading the buzzer went and round to see the doctor, after a short wait outside his room I went in to see him.
This was the main consultant for the Lymphoma, I was glad it was him with what has been going on the last week or so. I told him about the night sweats coming back and the arms being sore and that I had also felt a gland but it wasn't really swollen but you can still feel it. He asked when the last time I had a scan and it was about 6-7 weeks ago and he didn't particularly want to do it so soon. He then proceeded to ask if I thought that the stronger chemo was working, I didn't hesitate to say "yes compared to the last one it's doing a much better job but... the lymphoma problems seem to be returning". He also asked how my chest was with the virus and it seems to be ok, no real problems with it lately thankfully. So I had convinced him enough to book me in for another scan to see the "progress", that will probably be in a couple of weeks. Will be nice to see if the new stuff is doing what it should, but I think most people would be thinking "urgh another trip to hospital". We organised what tablets I'd need over the next few weeks for the chemo and we got them ordered too.
Went out and got my pre-meds from the nurse and I took the steroids and asked if it was ok to not take the anti-sickness tablets until later as "they hit me in town last time when I was having my fry" so I held on to that myself for a while and asked when I should come back and was told about two, two and a half hours should do. Went out to make my appointment for THREE weeks time, the doctor was happy enough with that and I could do with a seventh day I can lie in during the week, six just wasn't enough for me.
Once out I went out to the shop to get a packet of sweets for later and walked on into town to try and find somewhere to go eat. As it was just after ten there weren't many places open yet so kept a look around and decided to take the anti-sickness tablet. While walking down Castle Street towards Primark direction I seen three guys coming my way wearing what looked like training trackies for a club so I was having a look to see if I recognised the badge, only to see a big RH on the left hand side, looked at the face and it was Ricky Hatton, he looked at me and I gave him a nod. Walked over to Game to see if there were any deals on in there but the doors were closed, thought it was a little unusual for Game to be closed at this time, went to go into HMV and they were closed too and so was the Arcade. My initial thought was that there was a bomb scare out the back and as I walked down the road a little further I seen that the street was closed off and the police, but when I looked down there was a fire in one of the buildings and the fire brigade there to put out the fire. It was quite busy at that side so I couldn't get a good picture and walked round to the Northern Whig side to have a look there.
Got a clear shot and stood and watched that for a bit and I noticed people sitting in the restaurant on the corner and that there was a sign up saying "Ulster Fry £3.50" worked out quite well in the end then! Went in there and got a seat made my order and each time the door opened you could smell the fire round the corner. The place was quite busy, I'm guessing this was because of the fire and people where in there to kill some time before going to work, there was definitely one group that was out with their boss and the boss paid for their meal, doubt many would do that. The fry was quite nice nothing spectacular and got another Latte in a glass, don't get the whole glass thing if I'm honest. Started feeling a bit nauseous again so I am thinking that they have gave me the ondansetron which is the anti-sickness tablet that makes me sick rather than clears it up, plus the dopey, dizzy stage hasn't kicked in.
The fire fighters were still busy doing their thing on Rosemary Street as I walked back. Outside City Hall the rain started a bit so I hid outside the bank by my old bus stop and stood there for a bit, seemed to have the right idea as others copied me. Waited for the rain to die down a bit before moving on. Went for a different route on the way back to hospital down Great Victoria Street and was waiting for another thing to be happening, no such luck though, no upside down cars or people climbing out windows. While walking along though there was a guy walking a little bit slower than me and I noticed up ahead there was a fairly large puddle and when the cars went through it, it splashed out over the footpath, he obviously didn't see this. I had caught up with him and would have been able to take over but I seen a car coming so I snuck to the opposite side of where the car would be from him and splash! He got soaked and I walked on dry, thanks to his protection... really should have warned him, but I didn't. For that though the rain got heavier and I got drenched, I didn't mind the top half as I had my coat on but the top half dripped down to my bottom half and soaked my trousers doubly. Most annoying part is that there are no hand driers in the hospital to dry off under, they only have cloths.
Went round to the treatment room to let them know I was back and they asked if I had buzzer 8, checked and it was 6 so it was a good thing I called in to let them know or they wouldn't be able to get me. It was now only 11.30; I went back round to waiting room which was certainly a lot busier than it was this morning. After two hours I noticed that I had been waiting for two hours, spent it reading and trying to inconspicuously dry off my trousers, not doing very well at either as I was still wet and people were giving me funny looks from time to time, wonder if they would prefer I sat there with my trousers off? I would certainly prefer that and if I had have known I would have been waiting so much longer I would have went back into town and got a cheap pair of dry trousers to wear in hospital. At this stage I decided to go down and get a bottle, went for Club Lemon, not had that in a while, I'm getting all adventurous now.
Returned to find that my seat had been stolen again! He must have thought that it was a hot water seat or something. Worked out nice though as I sat a bit closer to the door where the warm air was coming from so might dry me off a bit faster. At this stage I was thinking about the anti-sickness tablet again and I was feeling sicker and not dopey at all so they have definitely gave me the wrong one. After a bit longer I was buzzed and was brought round to the treatment room, so I made myself cosy in my seat got all the essentials out i.e. phone, kindle, power cable, sweets and drink and continued to read. It seemed very busy in here today and I seen that there were a few people in front of me still to get hooked up so I knew I would have to wait a while longer. Continued to read as I knew once I got my piriton I wouldn't be able to and just watch a film.
1 of 6 and 2 drips...
Got called round at about 2.30 and wasn't until about 3.30 that they started giving me the different Chemo drugs and then finally the piriton which you half to wait half an hour before they can give you the rituximab. At least the nurse was content doing a good job rather than doing the whole small talk, said to her not to be gentle when putting the line in and she wasn't and got it first time rather than like some of the others that miss, miss, miss... then get someone else. While she was putting the chemo in there was a group arrived and they were moaning about having to wait for an hour, I looked at the nurse and asked "did they say an hour? I'd be amazed if I only had to wait an hour" I couldn't believe they were moaning about waiting an hour and each time they moaned a started to chuckle more and more each time, then others started to do the same, there were a couple others that had been there from 8 this morning like I had and we just looked at each other and knew exactly what each other were thinking. One of them didn't even have a book or newspaper with him.
So finally at about 4.30 I got started on the Rituximab which takes about 2 hours in total after that starts to be finished for the day. At this point I decided it was time to watch a film and chose Django, decent show seen it in the cinema. But I only got about 30 minutes into it and thought "nah I'm just going to sleep", so I put my feet up closed my eyes and all I could hear was everyone moaning about how long today was taking and how bored they were. It was a long day, but come prepared, these things happen from time to time, I guess after 15 years of being in and out of hospitals weekly teaches you a thing or two. Plus there is a TV right in front of you and you have a remote for it, I bet at home they would just be sitting watching deal or no deal anyway. That made me put in my headphones and listen to some music too.
The only bad thing about that is you don't know when there is someone there in front of you and it was a nurse with the tablets that I needed. I checked through them and seen that they had only gave me two weeks supply of a couple of them, but I won't be back for three, said to the nurse and she checked it out. Once again eyes closed, music on, nurse arrives, don't know how long she was there before I opened my eyes and seen her and she said that the doctor that is there now thinks that it should be for the three weeks. Means I'll have to come back on Monday or Tuesday to pick them up, don't mind I'll just add it into my walk on one of those days.
During the time while I was on the drip the old guy beside me was getting quite annoyed that he had been there since one and wasn't going as well as he had hoped, so he looked to me for a bit of comfort, sympathy or someone to agree with him, wrong person unfortunately, he was being a bit optimistic and I had to burst his bubble for him. He was getting RBCs which were due to finish in 30 minutes and then getting some platelets after which would take 30 minutes, so he was saying "I'm just glad I'll be getting out in an hour", brief pause "oh I wouldn't count on that, don't forget the flush after this bag then the change over time, then the flush after the second and getting your line taken out, that will be at least another 30 minutes and that's if they get to you straight away." No point giving him false hope, so if my calculations are correct and if it goes smoothly he will be leaving when I am... turned out his platelets wheren't there and he had to wait about 30 minutes for them to come up, poor chap.
The moaners were still moaning all this time too. I continue to close my eyes and listen to the music. Oh and I also asked them if they knew which anti-sickness tablet they gave me, but they had no record that they gave me any and so they were going to give me another one as well as the steroids again. One of the times the nurse came back to take my obs I cracked a joke "Phoo just got back in time from my jog then, it might be up a bit from last time". She seemed to be enjoying my witty banter especially with the rest of the ones in here, bunch of moaners they were.
Eventually the drip was all through and time for the flush and started to take off the sticky stuff holding the line in, but when it came to taking the rest of it off she took it from the other side against the flow of hair. Went to the loo after and I had my ribena pee from the red chemo, phoned for a lift and went and bought a packet of crisps and toffeecrisp and stood outside in the wind and rain and ate them. Such a relief to get out of there, it was a long, long day, certainly much longer than I had initially expected think it was about 6.30 by the time I was leaving the hospital to get home. On the way home my mum said she didn't want to go home one way because it was so busy so she was going to go down past Revenhill, I thought there was a rugby match on so we went down another way, I laughed and said "do you remember the last time we came this way?" she thought about it and laughed herself "we're not getting home tonight", it was a time I got out about 2 years ago from a stay in hospital and it was raining then and everywhere was flooded and we got stuck in traffic for over an hour. Turned out if we had have went past Ravenhill it would have been fine, there was a game on but it wasn't Ulster that was playing so the traffic wouldn't have been bad that way. Got home about 7 and got a pint of water and then a pint of orange, there was a dinner left for me but I didn't have the stomach to eat potato so just ate the bacon.
Went up and turned on the computer to watch a film and lay down for a few minutes but passed out as I woke up at about 3 in the morn, thought that was going to be me awake the rest of the night but a few minutes later I was out cold again, this happened a couple times during the night and had my now usual sweats too and didn't get up until about 9.30.
I felt that today deserved to have its own entry as it was generally such an awful day in so many ways and yet I really enjoyed it at the same time. The best awful day I have had... to date.