Friday, 16 November 2012
I slept well on Sunday night after all
the excitement and presents. I woke on Monday morning and really
wanted to be happy about it being my actual Birthday but it was
pretty hard. All I could think about was the week ahead. Sister gave
us a lift to the station and promised to look after the kids for the
next 24 hours. First stop the hospital for a blood test. I'm
getting used to the waiting now. When you arrive for a blood test you
have to take a ticket like at the deli counter at the supermarket.
Each blood test takes 5-10 minutes. My ticket was 107 and the screen
said 83. I grabbed a cup of tea and a magazine and got comfy. Husband
pottered off and returned a couple of minutes later. As soon as he
sat down they called my name. As I walked past reception the three
ladies who work there all said 'Happy Birthday!' I'd been bumped to
the front of the queue.
After the blood test we got a train to Farringdon and checked in to our Hotel. I have asked to stay in a hotel for my birthday forever but Husband doesn't consider it a good use of birthday money. He got to stay in them with his work quite frequently and didn't share my enthusiasm. This year I got what I wanted! We then went to town and thoroughly enjoyed the lunch bought for us by our friends in the desert. it was the perfect day to spend our voucher and we felt suitably spoiled. The Rubber Faced Dinosaur popped by for a cocktail on his way home from work. Then Husband and I ordered room service and ate supper in front of the telly in our fluffy hotel robes.
The magic was only slightly ruined when I had a shower and realised my hair was beginning to fall out in quite large clumps. By the morning, the clumps were larger and I had a small but visible bald patch on the top of my head. Luckily my uber thick hair allowed rather a lot to fall out before it started to look obvious and I think I styled Tuesday out without anyone noticing.
We checked out of the hotel and I was already pretty hungry. By the time we got to Guys and I had been admitted for my op I was very hungry and a little bit snappy. After waiting for nearly 3 extra hours I was extremely hungry and very snappy. Finally at nearly 2pm I went in for my op. I wasn't given a general anaesthetic but had a local and a sedative - I liked this a lot. I am a big fan of anaesthetic and especially like the bit when they count you down and you're dropping off. This felt like that but for ages and without the actual falling asleep bit. I spent a fluffy couple of hours in the recovery room drifting in and out of happy soft dreams and then had to get up and go home with a growing pain in my chest where they'd inserted my portacath and a sore arm where they'd tried and failed repeatedly to find a viable vein to anaesthetise me through.
On Tuesday evening it was becoming apparent that I could no longer cover my thinning hair so My Sister and Husband helped me make the decision to shave it off. My Husband did a stirling job but having never shaved anyone else's head it was a bit patchy! The children were not impressed on Wednesday morning but I didn't really have time to worry about it as we had an early appointment with the Oncologists. Everything seems fine but my white blood cells are currently too low for me to have my next dose of chemo. This can change in only a few days so I had another test and will have another one on Friday morning.
After the Hospital I had my second appointment with the eyebrow lady. This is the last top up. After this my new eyebrows should last at least a year, sometimes up to six! Then I went to a hairdressers and had my head properly shaved. All day I wore a lovely woolly bobble hat I'd been given for my birthday, It's actually made of cotton and is incredibly soft. In my bag I had my wig and a selection of my new scarves. The time was fast approaching for us to pop in on Curly Friend's birthday gathering at the Ping pong Disco Speakeasy. We dropped into a restaurant for a quick eat before the big event and for me to decide which head covering to go with. I stood in the ladies and tried different looks, deciding in the end to go bald. I didn't want anyone wondering what my hair looked like under the wig/hat/scarf and this was the perfect opportunity for lots of my close friends to get used to the idea.
My friend's reactions were great. Everyone was complimentary and so sweet about my lack of hair. I'd ramped up the make-up and put some ear-rings in and the whole effect was much less severe than I'd imagined.
Thursday was my day off. The only day this week with no hospital appointments. Housework with husband, supermarket, school run, visit from Mum, visit from Dad and Brother. Chats, giggles and gossips with Sister. A perfect day.
Back to Guys on Friday for blood tests and 'hopefully' the next bout of chemo.
After the blood test we got a train to Farringdon and checked in to our Hotel. I have asked to stay in a hotel for my birthday forever but Husband doesn't consider it a good use of birthday money. He got to stay in them with his work quite frequently and didn't share my enthusiasm. This year I got what I wanted! We then went to town and thoroughly enjoyed the lunch bought for us by our friends in the desert. it was the perfect day to spend our voucher and we felt suitably spoiled. The Rubber Faced Dinosaur popped by for a cocktail on his way home from work. Then Husband and I ordered room service and ate supper in front of the telly in our fluffy hotel robes.
The magic was only slightly ruined when I had a shower and realised my hair was beginning to fall out in quite large clumps. By the morning, the clumps were larger and I had a small but visible bald patch on the top of my head. Luckily my uber thick hair allowed rather a lot to fall out before it started to look obvious and I think I styled Tuesday out without anyone noticing.
We checked out of the hotel and I was already pretty hungry. By the time we got to Guys and I had been admitted for my op I was very hungry and a little bit snappy. After waiting for nearly 3 extra hours I was extremely hungry and very snappy. Finally at nearly 2pm I went in for my op. I wasn't given a general anaesthetic but had a local and a sedative - I liked this a lot. I am a big fan of anaesthetic and especially like the bit when they count you down and you're dropping off. This felt like that but for ages and without the actual falling asleep bit. I spent a fluffy couple of hours in the recovery room drifting in and out of happy soft dreams and then had to get up and go home with a growing pain in my chest where they'd inserted my portacath and a sore arm where they'd tried and failed repeatedly to find a viable vein to anaesthetise me through.
On Tuesday evening it was becoming apparent that I could no longer cover my thinning hair so My Sister and Husband helped me make the decision to shave it off. My Husband did a stirling job but having never shaved anyone else's head it was a bit patchy! The children were not impressed on Wednesday morning but I didn't really have time to worry about it as we had an early appointment with the Oncologists. Everything seems fine but my white blood cells are currently too low for me to have my next dose of chemo. This can change in only a few days so I had another test and will have another one on Friday morning.
After the Hospital I had my second appointment with the eyebrow lady. This is the last top up. After this my new eyebrows should last at least a year, sometimes up to six! Then I went to a hairdressers and had my head properly shaved. All day I wore a lovely woolly bobble hat I'd been given for my birthday, It's actually made of cotton and is incredibly soft. In my bag I had my wig and a selection of my new scarves. The time was fast approaching for us to pop in on Curly Friend's birthday gathering at the Ping pong Disco Speakeasy. We dropped into a restaurant for a quick eat before the big event and for me to decide which head covering to go with. I stood in the ladies and tried different looks, deciding in the end to go bald. I didn't want anyone wondering what my hair looked like under the wig/hat/scarf and this was the perfect opportunity for lots of my close friends to get used to the idea.
My friend's reactions were great. Everyone was complimentary and so sweet about my lack of hair. I'd ramped up the make-up and put some ear-rings in and the whole effect was much less severe than I'd imagined.
Thursday was my day off. The only day this week with no hospital appointments. Housework with husband, supermarket, school run, visit from Mum, visit from Dad and Brother. Chats, giggles and gossips with Sister. A perfect day.
Back to Guys on Friday for blood tests and 'hopefully' the next bout of chemo.
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