Too much Christmas Spirit

Not much to report here over the last couple of weeks.

After shaving my hair I started to wear the wig when leaving the house but it became very annoying whilst on my head and also looked stupid so I bought some nice ‘cancer caps’ and these are all I wear now. Of course I bought some glamorous ones – leopard print :). I also had to shave my head with a razor because when I was sleeping it felt like I was laying on pine needles. Honestly I don’t know how men cope; cold heads, prickly spiky bits! But before I get carried with empathy, I’ll just remind myself of all the specific ‘women’s issues’ we have to put up with! No more ‘poor men’!

As it’s December of course that has meant many trips to Meadowhall Christmas shopping and many Christmassy trips out with the children to see Santa and various Christmas markets so that has meant I have been doing a lot of walking and not much resting! I know I know; you’re probably thinking when will she ever learn! Probably never because I will keep going until I can’t; I don’t want to miss out on anything! So it has meant I have become a little bit tired and my mobility has been affected (I think slightly) but to the point where the coordinator nurse noticed a difference and asked if I thought I was relapsing. I said I didn’t think so, just been busy. I agreed that if anything got any worse I would go to my GP for a course of steroids. Well on Sunday evening I came down with the worst shaking and cold feeling, I was worried I was getting the flu. I had no sleep Sunday night and I could hardly walk safely to the toilet. In the morning I had to call my mum as Jay had gone to work and I didn’t trust myself to go down stairs carrying Max. I must have had a temperature and that caused my MS symptoms to flare up. I did not feel good. My mum was very supportive though! When she saw me she said I looked ghastly – cheers Mum!! I started a course of steroids but to be honest, even by the next day I was loads better in all ways. I think I had probably had the same infection that the boys had recently and it had activated some of the old MS damage and on Sunday night the infection must have peaked. Thankfully it wasn’t a relapse. I think I am starting to understand my body and my MS a bit better now. Anyway, all recovered from that so it meant another trip to Meadowhall.

On other important news I have a date to start stage 2 – whoo!! 2nd January at Royal Hallamshire bright and early. First thing on the agenda will be to have a pic line fitted through my neck into my chest. This will be where they administer the chemo, fluids and all the other stuff and they will also be able to take blood from it. Yay, no more canulas or needles almost every hour like last time. I must admit though I am rather scared of having the pic line in. It is done by a specialist in a mini theatre using ultra sound to guide the tube in which goes close to my heart. I’ve been told to let them know if my heart starts to ‘flutter’ because that will mean it’s gone a bit too far and they will pull it back. I’m sure my heart will be doing more than ‘fluttering’ so I’m not sure I’ll be able to tell! Then once that’s in I am straight onto the ward to start the treatment, after which I will be in from then I will be in isolation with only close family and hospital staff able to enter the room. No children! Thank goodness for face time!!

Before Christmas I have to go for a breathing test and a heart scan. This is to provide a base line for future reference so then can monitor any chemo damage if any damage and address it if and when needed. It sounds as though my health will be closely monitored in future which is reassuring.

So Now’s to enjoying Christmas with my babies and family.

Hope you all have a good one! Here’s to a brand new 2020!!