Friday was Chemo session two, and I was strangely looking forward to it, it is good to know that the Chemo is attacking the cancer, but it also has a really good social aspect to it as well. I get to talk to other people in a similar situation and the nurses also make it fun.
We dropped the boys off at my sisters, she was looking after them and they were excited to be staying over at Amelia, Lotties and Evies house. My mum drove us to the hospital and we went to hand in the entry forms that I had collected from work for the Rosemere Walk in the Dark at the charity office. They too are very friendly and as soon as I walked in they recognised me from last week. They had the cutting from the paper and also had read the blog. We had a chat about a few events and a couple of ideas and then we had to leave for my Chemo appointment.
We went upstairs and were shown into a side room, there was an old lady in there, but I wanted to be in the main ward so I could chat with some others. Leonie asked if we could and they made the arrangements so I could have a chair. We went in and saw Jo, Chris and Mandie. We were sat in the corner and Jo was excited to tell us about a visit they had the day before, Steve Davies, the snooker player. She showed us the photos as I was hooked up, and I was told my blood had raised from 0.5 to 1.3, so I could have the chemo.
We settled down and a few laughs with everyone. We were told that one of the patients who was due in shortly was a prisoner but he would be escorted and handcuffed, what were we due to expect? We read some magazines and then he arrived, he looked quite frail and was in his mid sixties, he didn't look to be in a good way. During the day he was continually sick, but very quiet about it and the two guards sat with him all day.
In the late morning Claire Serle came to see us and we talked through the symptoms and plan; we are looking at mid June to late July for the surgery if all goes to plan. Once I finish the Chemo I would have a break from between 6-10 weeks. This would work perfectly for Leonie and myself so we can celebrate our 8 year wedding anniversary with our annual BBQ, which will be early June, our anniversary is the 9th June so we would normally celebrate the following weekend.
After lunch a man brought in a baby and the nurses all got excited. I was told that she was the newborn of one of the patients. Emma came in shortly afterwards and was talking to the nurses and taking photos, she introduced herself and asked if I was writing the blog. She sat down with me for about 30-45 minutes and we exchanged stories. Emma was so full of life and showed a lot of strength. At around 14 weeks pregnant she was diagnosed with bowel cancer and was advised to terminate the pregnancy, but she wanted to have the child. Within a month when she was around 25 weeks pregnancy she got engaged, married, started Chemo and gave birth. Erin was born premature, but like her mum was a fighter. Born at just 1lb 10oz she has never left hospital but after 5 months is showing resilience (now over 8lb) and is going home soon with just oxygen to help to continue to develop her lungs. Emma continues with Chemo and has not missed a session. We talked for a while and could relate to each other, I hope to keep in contact as she is my inspiration. Having a child is hard work, but to do that under the circumstances she found herself in is phenomenal! And Erin is the miracle baby. I would say Steve Davies is a good visitor (it was arranged for him to come and visit Emma and Erin), but I think meeting these two was much more inspiring.
I finished Chemo around half 4 and my mum was due to pick us up, but she hadn't arrived when we left so I called her, she was stuck in traffic as there had been an accident on the main by-pass to Preston from Penwortham, so I called Lisa who was still at work and she happily agreed to drop us back home, which was very helpful, it turned out my mum had travelled about 2 miles in an hour!
At home we had a take away and got comfortable on the sofa. As like last time, I am full of colour, like I have been in the sun and gone a little red, and already my voice has gone slightly horse. We went to bed early but it wasn't until after midnight that I fell asleep, it's the steroids that keep me awake. Luckily the boys were staying over so we could have a lie in on Saturday morning.
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