5 Down 3 To Go and I got an Armchair – Happy Days

Thursday was Chemo Five of Eight halfway down the slope, the rollercoaster or whatever you like to call it!   Up and at em left Clane on time and into the old motor and a bit low on good happy songs, all I had was NOW83 so on it went.  Track 1 Gangham Style was a definite no-no if I have to hear your man singing that one more time think I would rather sign up to another 8 chemos!    Robbie Williams with Candy track two now there’s a great boppy song, was arse cheek dancing to that en route to the hospital with the odd Kegel exercise thrown in   another boppy song was track 22 so went between those two tracks.  Was just thinking in the car cant wait to go to a packed club with my sister and get up and bop all night with all the other sweaty dancers.  Mia probably at usual just dancing beside me laughing at me – no idea why – I am a brilliant dancer Mia!!!

Must say folks was really dreading this chemo was probably at one of my lowest ebbs a couple of days before.  Quite emotional, a good few silent tears were shed which must admit is unusual for me but maybe its good – jury’s out on that one.  The last chemo was so depressing and really felt crap after it and was dreading the hunt the vein thing and knowing what was ahead of me again.   The posts of Good Luck on Facebook, conversations with friends on Facebook the night before were great medicine for me – thanks all .

Got a great tip from a friend of mine Naoimi (who has now just got through her cancer) to make it easier to find the vein she said to bring a hot water bottle and put it on my arm to heat up the veins.    Dropped car off at my folks and went in for brekkie sitting there with the hot water bottle on my arm.   Filled it up again so could sit in the car on way down with it over my arms.    When got out of the car realised cap not in probably and the whole thing had leaked all over the top of my right leg from crotch to knee – seriously looked like I had totally wet myself a really great look

Went up to the dismal cancer waiting room as always people sitting around look sick and bored out of their biccie.  Plonked myself down beside an older lady probably around 65/70 and we smiled that “it’s this again” smile.    We got chatting and wow I must say what a lovely lady she was, a lovely simple lady who had breast cancer and was now in for various other things, her life was full of hospital appointments and loads of other ailments.  We chatted about everything she was telling me how she adopted three kids and how she loved playing with her grandchildren.   I find it quite amazing how being sick really draws you to people and it works both ways.  We had a chat for around twenty minutes and felt I had known her for years.   My name was called and we both automatically got up and gave each other a hug and wished each other best of luck.  It was beautiful to be honest.  I am not a huggy kissy sort of person as most of the people you are supposed to hug and kiss in situations I don’t feel like hugging and all this air-kissing crap!   This was real sentiment from the heart.

Was looking forward to meeting a girl that I met through this blog Sinead who was starting her first day of treatment on Thursday.  Was great to finally meet her after all the messaging back and forward and she did great up there on the dentist chair we didn’t get too much time to chat as we never sat together.  Sinead you were as brave as anything – sure not a bother to you.

After four attempts we finally got the line into me, this time it hurt when they were pushing the saline in the nurse kept saying “does it hurt?” I kept saying “no” as was afraid if I said yes she would try another vein.   Was over the fecking moon that this part was over.  Legged it downstairs to meet a great friend of mine Sinead Buckley who came in from Wicklow to meet me for a coffee with as usual goodies for me a great book (thanks have started reading it), chocolates for the kids and some more lovely candles for me.  We had a great laugh over coffee saying how things have changed we were sitting talking about illnesses instead of what we did the night before!  Used to work with Sinead in HP all those years ago and we reconnected via Facebook.

Back up to treatment room and got my sickness drip then my new chemo which took four hours to infuse.  However this time I GOT AN ARMCHAIR – woohoo first time got a comfortable chair.   Was chatting a bit with Sinead who was opposite me apart from that watching the world go by.  A lovely ”decent Dub” lady was sitting on the end of the window row she was sitting there singing, in a beautiful voice, Garth Brooks The Song – she just sat there singing and sang the whole song and we all just sat there listening silently to her and sending smiles of encouragement to her – was again another lovely beautiful moment in this mad cancer world of sickness.   It was spine tingling.

Oops this is turning into a long post – must be the steroids    Chemo went well and afterwards back to the folks in Kilmacud for plenty of TLC.   This time I got chips with my Chicken Steak   thanks Mam     As always got spoilt rotten,  fire lit for me, coffee given whenever required, heat on upstairs and PJ’s laid out on the bed.  My folks are wonderful and I love them to bits.

All in all it wasnt a bad chemo and so far am feeling pretty good very glad to have another one done!!  I am on a different sort of chemo now called Taxol so am hoping this one will be kinder to me but in hindsight the rest havent been too bad.  Looking forward to the week after next a very important week for me.  MRI Monday, Mammo Wednesday and meeting with Surgeon on Friday to plan out whats the next step and most importantly to see how much my tumour has shrunk.

Thought you might like the following photo girls and boys.  Check to see if one of yours or your partners looks like any of these lemons.  I was the B one with an extra pip

 Good things that happened this week:

• Had my usual post chemo brekkie down in Stillorgan with Grainne and Emer – thanks girls always fun
• Had a lunch with a friend of mine Mary who I have not seen in over 25 years or so after a mad FunTrek holiday back in the 80′s
• Had a lunch with an old school friend Fiona who gave me a very special gift which I will hold close to my heart and its now on my locker with all my other important things for getting me through this
• My little girl Rebecca turned six and we are having the party today should be fun
• Sounds like I was a real lady of leisure this week – and you know what I was and you know what else I didn’t feel one bit guilty

That’s it folks from my land of Cancer and Chemo – thanks again for all your support which is willing me on every step of the way.  From the posts on Facebook to the messages here and texts wishing me luck you really have no idea how much it helps me.