(no subject)
A while back I wrote a post about tempting fate. Around May, 2015, I wrote a post saying that I couldn't die because I had too many books to read. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 months later. The gods do not like you to be flippant.
Shortly after I started chemo a young woman who has featured in a couple of my posts made the announcement at the Cancer Centre that she had finally finished her chemo. There were numerous photos taken and many thanks said. It was a momentous occasion for her and she wanted to record the event. A year later she was back in chemo.
4 weeks ago I was having my last session at the Clinic but decided to be very low key because I didn't want to tempt the fates. I was going to sneak in and out but a couple of the nurses felt that they had to make an occasion of it. I had no choice but to go along.
I finished my session and then saw my surgeon about the removal of my port. This surgery was dated for today.
Meanwhile, I had an accident in my back yard. I walked into the edge of my clothesline and hit my head. The resulting bump is still painful today. About a week ago, I noticed two tiny black spots appear on the bump. Within a couple of days, those spots had joined together to form a line. By this past weekend that line had become a black spot about the size of my fingernail. It does not look pretty.
Now, remember my comment about tempting the fates - last Thursday the clinic rang me and said that I was entitled to have one more half dose of herceptin and did I want to have it. I said yes because I thought that it couldn't hurt. So my last treatment was not my last after all.
I had the treatment yesterday and, while there, I asked about this black mark on my forehead. They took one look and agreed with me that I should visit the doctor's.
I saw my GP yesterday. While waiting I was looking at photos on the wall of skin cancers and those photos combined with the concerned looks from the nurses had me worried. Worse cases only, of course.
It's nothing to worry about. I have shingles. It is definitely uncomfortable but not unbearable. I will go back to the doctor's tomorrow for some pain killers I think but I may not need them. I just like to have these things on hand if I need them.
Because of the shingles, my surgery has been postponed for about 4 weeks. I can be around adults but have to avoid small children as they can get chicken pox from me. This is not easy during the school holidays. I am in the house today.
Yesterday, I also had bad news about a guy who was having chemo at the same time as me. He had had to start the treatment again as it did not work the first time. He was happy and seemed to be going well. He had been to Scotland with his elderly mother to scatter his father's ashes and he and his mother were planning on spending Christmas in Dubai with his cousin. He was very confident. I was told yesterday that he suddenly became very sick and died. Although the clinic could not disclose much information they said that his death may not have been related to his cancer.
I feel sorry for his poor mother who has buried her husband and son within an 18 month time frame.
Rest in peace, Dave. You were an inspiration.
Shortly after I started chemo a young woman who has featured in a couple of my posts made the announcement at the Cancer Centre that she had finally finished her chemo. There were numerous photos taken and many thanks said. It was a momentous occasion for her and she wanted to record the event. A year later she was back in chemo.
4 weeks ago I was having my last session at the Clinic but decided to be very low key because I didn't want to tempt the fates. I was going to sneak in and out but a couple of the nurses felt that they had to make an occasion of it. I had no choice but to go along.
I finished my session and then saw my surgeon about the removal of my port. This surgery was dated for today.
Meanwhile, I had an accident in my back yard. I walked into the edge of my clothesline and hit my head. The resulting bump is still painful today. About a week ago, I noticed two tiny black spots appear on the bump. Within a couple of days, those spots had joined together to form a line. By this past weekend that line had become a black spot about the size of my fingernail. It does not look pretty.
Now, remember my comment about tempting the fates - last Thursday the clinic rang me and said that I was entitled to have one more half dose of herceptin and did I want to have it. I said yes because I thought that it couldn't hurt. So my last treatment was not my last after all.
I had the treatment yesterday and, while there, I asked about this black mark on my forehead. They took one look and agreed with me that I should visit the doctor's.
I saw my GP yesterday. While waiting I was looking at photos on the wall of skin cancers and those photos combined with the concerned looks from the nurses had me worried. Worse cases only, of course.
It's nothing to worry about. I have shingles. It is definitely uncomfortable but not unbearable. I will go back to the doctor's tomorrow for some pain killers I think but I may not need them. I just like to have these things on hand if I need them.
Because of the shingles, my surgery has been postponed for about 4 weeks. I can be around adults but have to avoid small children as they can get chicken pox from me. This is not easy during the school holidays. I am in the house today.
Yesterday, I also had bad news about a guy who was having chemo at the same time as me. He had had to start the treatment again as it did not work the first time. He was happy and seemed to be going well. He had been to Scotland with his elderly mother to scatter his father's ashes and he and his mother were planning on spending Christmas in Dubai with his cousin. He was very confident. I was told yesterday that he suddenly became very sick and died. Although the clinic could not disclose much information they said that his death may not have been related to his cancer.
I feel sorry for his poor mother who has buried her husband and son within an 18 month time frame.
Rest in peace, Dave. You were an inspiration.