Coping with Cancer - A Normal Week


Over the last seven days I’ve been keeping a diary. There are so many things that happen during the pre-chemotherapy period of cancer and keeping a written record was the only way I felt I could get my head round it. In order to get an insight into my exciting life I'd like to share an excerpt with you.
Monday
Last sperm sample delivered today. Time from phoning cytology to presenting cup was 38 minutes (including coffee break) – a personal record. Having to do this at midday every day is not ideal – kinda ruins motivation for the afternoon. Also feel weird sense of guilt when handing over sample – not sure why. I’m glad this its finished. NB: * Buy ginger beer and jelly for 'clear out' tomorrow.
Tuesday Preparation for colonoscopy. Start taking laxatives 10am. They take two hours to start working, then – bloody hell - I can't leave the toilet for more than ten minutes at a time. Its crap not being able to eat solid food, but jelly is a good replacement (should not have bought 'fiery' ginger ale though). Removal of food also seems to empty my mind - I've spent the whole day watching TV. Who knew Neighbours was still so good? NB: * Buy more wet wipes
Wednesday Colonoscopy – 8am. I am taken into a very high-tech room, with a doctors, three nurses, a video screen and an ominously long tube. Everyone is very calm. The nurse gives me a sedative and I go straight to sleep. Halfway through the procedure I wake up to feel the tube somewhere in my abdomen. Recall saying 'that actually feel quite nice,' then looking at the video screen and saying 'that’s really cool,' then going back to sleep. Wake up an hour later and given tea and biscuits and a sandwich. NB * Buy pasta for big dinner (not spaghetti or tagliatelle)
Thursday Chemo prep session 1pm. Nurse explains loads more side effects, including: 'when you leave the hospital it will feel like you can't breathe, but you can.' I’m preparing myself for the worst. NB *Shopping list for Tescos: moisturizer, mouthwash, immodium, condoms and woolly gloves (if they have them). The nurse told me to buy this stuff - its not just my idea of a good night in! Friday First chemo session. Nurses spend an hour digging around in veins with pic line. Oxiplatin take two hours to go in and feels cold. Have a shopping bag full of pills to take home (instructions on boxes). Side-effects so far – tingling in hands and face. Cold water tastes horrible. Feels sick at night. Hard to breath in cold wind. General nausea. Not too bad. Should get better.
So there you have it – a regular week in the pre-chemotherapy life of a cancer patient. Its occasionally bizarre but its not as intense or out-of-the-ordinary as some might think. Sat in the chemotherapy ward of the Royal Surrey hospital with twelve other people, I take solace in this. Cancer's nothing special. One in two of us will have to cope with it at some point in our lives. Having it doesn’t make you brave or exceptional – it makes you a normal person, who does normal things, with normal feelings and emotions to deal with. I'm very keen to stay like this and I know that being with others and doing normal things will help more than anything.
I’ll see you in the pub on Friday. Have a good week!

Next week - Experimenting with ‘alternative’ therapies. Chemo fashion – when is it not okay to wear gloves? Just how poisonous am I?

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