Cancervive diary
The Big C01 march 2011
Wahoo - the heating man is here....!
It doens't take much to get us excited does it?!?!?!
I phoned this guy up this morning and he came round within the hour and our boiler is being fixed as I type this. Phew, can't wait to feel warm again.
It's at times like this I really appreciate my compression stockings!!!! Love 'em!!!!
04 march 2011
gp surgery (mum again)
This time it's not me. Things are going fine, more drugs to try and see if it helps the problem.
06 march 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN!!!
Yes, it's birthday time for John. I made him a cake and it was very well received I can tell you! John does love his cake! I was going to buy one, but decided to make one for him.
Had a phone call from Auntie Rita. At the moment she is looking after my cousins animals whilst they are on holiday. She was out this morning walking the dog, Ellie, and tripped over a stone and has broken her arm. Not good, she broke the other one a while back, now it's the left one. She lives on her own so it's not easy for her. She appreciates everything you do and is always happy, I don't think I've ever seen her in a bad mood which is lovely!
We're going to take her to the Fracture Clinic and she has some good neighbours on both sides so they're going to walk the dog for her which is good. It's not something we can help with I'm afraid. Just getting to the Doctors and Hospitals is bad enough sometimes.
We went out for dinner too, which was nice. We don't normally go out on the weekends much now (which is a shame as I like to get out in the fresh air whenever I can!). It always makes me tired, but hey, it's lovely to feel the warm sun on your face now that we're getting some good weather coming along.
10 march 2011
dr c, uch, london hospital
It's that time again and another appointment with Dr Cassoni. It was a very strange one I can tell you!
She said that none of the problems I have are due to the side effects of treatment for cancer. Now that is odd. I didn't have any health problems before I was diagnosed, apart from the intense pain of course, and not being able to walk without the aid of a walking frame! I then was diagnosed with cancer, had chemotherapy and radiotherapy and endured many many problems during treatment, then they never went away. In fact most of them got worse! Now I consider that to be problems from the cancer treatment and no one wil convince me otherwise, no matter how hard they try.
Too many people have similar problems to me post treatment and it's obvious really isn't it. Even my Dentist said to me "Wow you have lots of pain with your mouth don't you. That's the problem with chemotherapy, it causes other problems further down the line" and he also said that no one tells you all of the side effects!
She also said that the Lymphoedema in my left leg is due to radiotherapy damage (ahem, isn't that a side effect then?!?!?!). However the right leg problem is an odema. Now I was referred to the Lymphodema Specialist after almost a year of saying that something was wrong with my legs after radiotherapy. They said I have Lymphoedema in both legs, so as they are the Specialists I'm going to go with their advice. I'm not going to start saying, "Oh I have Lymphoemdea in this leg due to the radiotherapy damage, and an odema in this leg". It's just too complicated to explain, when a Specialist tells you that you have Lymphoedema, then they are the person who is the Specialist and you believe them. I know there is something wrong with my legs and again no one will convince me otherwise.
Also during the consultation she asked me to reiterate to people that my problems are not due to the cancer treatment. Strange.....
I don't know who she wants me to tell or make it known to, but as I've also seen other Specialists/Consultants with various health problems and they've confirmed I have problems, then I'm not going to be convinced otherwise.
Cancer treatment causes problems, and in fact I've just had an email from a National Cancer Charity as they are going to start a survey on late side effects of treatment and I've offered to help them and more needs to be done to help people with this.
People are surviving longer with cancer and because of this they don't know what the long term effects are. A cancer patient I know was in her Oncology Clinic and put this to a Nurse and she said "Yes, we're finding out more when people come in with late side effects. Cancer patients never used to survive long term, now more and more are and we're finding out more all the time".
I know many, many cancer patients and every one of them has problems since the treatment. Some have had Consultants confirm their thinking about the relation between cancer treatment and post treatment problems.
So that confirms it really doesn't it. Full stop.
14 march 2011
boilerman comes back...makes him sound like a superhero doesn't it! LOL!
When he came in, he saw Mum in her chair and said "Have you even left that chair since I was last here?". If looks could kill huh! I didn't say a word. It's best if I just bite my lip!
So he got on and serviced our boiler. It's not been done for years. We had British Gas around for a while, but when they did nothing when they came and only made things worse when they did touch it we decided not to pay them an extortionate amount of money each month to do nothing!
At least we've found a brilliant "Boilerman" now. In fact, he was at school with us too, and his wife was in John's year too. Amazing huh!
He also fixed two of our dripping taps. It's lovely not to have that water torture anymore! Drip drip drip....constant.
Our house needs some minor work done in different places, but as I've been told before "It's not your house" then there's nothing I can do now is there.
15 march 2011
fracture clinic with auntie rita
John and I went to collect Auntie Rita to take her to the Fracture Clinic. Mum didn't go she just stayed in her chair.
It was nice to be out with someone who is cheery, despite having a broken arm. She also appreciated it that we'd gone with her for support and to help. It's nice to be appreciated, I don't want it OTT all the time, but even a small thank you every now and then would be nice.
John is good, he says thank you, even for making a cup of tea! He's a good brother most of the time! LOL!
16 march 2011
packing up the picnic table
Seems a strange topic doesn't it. As most of you know, I like to make handmade cards for cancer charities/hospices, I enjoy it, and although I have problems with my hands where I have to stop when they lock up, I like to do what I can to help others fighting this awful disease.
I have a small picnic table which I use. Now those of you that know us, realise there are spare rooms in our house but they are filled with clutter. I've tried to clear them several times, but it's like a never ending tidal wave. It would be ideal for me to have one as a Craft Room come office type thing. It would keep everything in one place and mean I can use what I have instead of taking it in and out of boxes all the time.
Mum said I could have the picnic table up as it didn't cause any problems so that was good. Then I overheard more sarcastic remarks about her not being able to get to the television. So down the table came. It's all packed away now. I have some small bits and pieces on a trolley in the corner of the room, but that's it. I can't do any crafting without a table, no matter how small it is.
I can do some of the colouring in my room, but it's the making up of the cards which is a problem. I find it so boring now, I enjoy doing it and there's not much I can do without incurring more pain, so it was ideal.
Anyway that is the end of that. I'm trying to sort things so that I can make them in my room, but I can't locate the right storage trolley I need. If anyone goes to Costco (or similar!) and sees a double width cart on wheels, with small storage boxes contained within it, then please let me know it'd help immensely!
When I didn't want one, they were always there. Now I do need one, they haven't got any when we went last time. Typical!
Here's what it looks like.....
I don't mind what colour it is, multi like this or plain. If you see one, please please please email me. No crafting is a nightmare!