My ever present friend and other health issues:

Another broken night's sleep! The first task this morning was to undertake a Covid 19 swabbing of the back of my throat and nose. The swab needed to be delivered to the Worthing Hospital Path Lab by midday. This was done on my way to have two files of blood taken for testing.  Peter once again drove me to Worthing arriving in plenty of time to meet the noon cut off. My blood test appointment was booked for 1.35 pm, but the blood test unit receptionist arranged for me to be seen by a phlebotomist nurse early. Having arrived at the hospital by 11.45 I was back to the car before midday feeling very cared for. Well done to the Worthing Hospital team, once again I am most grateful. BSC - 4 and 5. Needed to take 2 loperamide hydrochloride tablets at bedtime to calm this down. Opened the sachet of Medihoney that a patient in Chiltington Ward gave me. He said that the relief the barrier cream was almost immediate. Good indeed. The patient is a high functioning addict. 

Up twice during the night and woke up with a headache, but no medicine to take today. It is however another cold day so multiple layers of clothing is in order. BSC - 3

The second cycle is now complete and another 54 chemotherapy tablets successfully taken.  A key side effects have been the increased reaction to touching anything cold with instant tingling in the fingers. Also  there has been tingling when my fingers have touch surfaces a little to hard. The hot/cold gauntlets have become a must use with many kitchen activities from opening the fridge or oven to using the sink. The outdoor wear purchased including a Buff snood and heated glove liners are most effective. It was 3 degrees Celsius yesterday evening when we went for a walk and I had not cold related side effects. Keeping warm is a keep part of minimising the peripheral neuropathy. The second side effect has been the increased feeling of nausea, particularly in the first week of this cycle. The anti nausea tablets seemed to help. Ann suggests that I should start to take them before the start of each cycle. The vitamin B6 may be assisting  with this and the tingling sensations. The third si

6 more tablets and cycle 2 is complete. Peripheral Neuropathy is still an issue if I touch anything cold. Also Tinnitus is a growing issue. BSC - 3

6 chemotherapy tablets and 3 for anti nausea.  Cold weather clothing working well. BSC - 3

Tablets, 3 morning and 3 evening plus 3 anti nausea. A cold day so used the snood, balaclava, heated glove liners and over trousers. These and layers kept me very warm when it for two walks during the day. Very windy during the afternoon and evening. It’s 3 months since the colon resection operation that I enjoyed on 25th August. BSC - 3

Day 7 of the second cycle 6 chemotherapy tablets and 3 nausea tablets.  The main side effect today is flatulence. Some tingling and feeling of nausea.  BSC  - 3 Note. I need to create a “tablets timetable” for future cycles to ensure that all medications are remembered And taken at the appropriate times. 

Another 6 tablets today, the sixth of the second cycle.  The side effects, nausea and peripheral neuropathy have eased, but continued to take the 3 anti-nausea tablets. Broken night again - need to keep hydrated! As suggested by Nurse Grace yesterday the tingling fingers and feeling nausea are reduced. Started to take the 25mg vitamin B6 tablets today.  BSC - 4 

6  capecitabine, 3 morning and 3 evening after a meal. Difficult night’s sleep, but just up once. Some feeling of nauseas overnight and in the morning. Taken Metoclopramide Hydrochloride to relief the feeling of nausea. Significant tingling in my hands managing with insulation and using warm water.  Peter BD suggested vitamin B6 may be beneficial. I phone the helpline and was called back by Nurse Grace who talked through the issues. She spoke to a hospital pharmacist who advised that there are no contrary indications with the drug treatment. Although vitamin B6 is no long offered by the hospital. Will order some.  Nurse Grace suggests that the the symptoms for peripheral neuropathy and nausea are likely to fade 5 days after the infusion. BSC - 3 Heated glove liner arrived today will try later. 

4 steroid and 6  capecitabine, 3 morning and 3 evening after a meal. Difficult night’s sleep, but just up once. Some feeling of nauseas overnight and in the morning. Taken Metoclopramide Hydrochloride to relief the feeling of nausea. Pulse rate back to normal. BSC - 3 Litre vacuum flask arrived so I can now have hot water at each basin for instant washing at a good water temperature. Ordered heated glove liner as suggested by Peter.

4 steroid and 6  capecitabine, 3 morning and 3 evening after a meal. Reasonable night’s sleep, just up once. Tingling fingers and sensation at top of throat  with cool water. Vitamin B6 may be the solution. If the peripheral neuropathy gets worse report it, advised by friend, Ruth M. Heated glovers for the coming cold weather suggested by Peter B-D as well as bed socks. 1 litre vacuum flask for instant hot water for hand washing in bathroom ordered. Pulse rate back to normal. BSC - 3

First day of tablets in cycle 2, 4 steroids and 6 capecitabine, 3 morning and 3 evening after a meal. The side effects today are:  Sensitive teeth. Reaction to drinking liquids that are too cool. Reaction to touching anything that is cold including water. Occasional tingling sensation in both the hands and feet. Peripheral Neuropathy. Raised pulse rate 90bpm. Less than after the first infusion. Booked blood test appointments for the next 3 cycles, and needed to phone to flag the need for a near to midday test to match the pathology lab deadline for Covid-19 swab delivery. Also endeavouring to move 16th of December infusion appointment to better match my 2 pm appointment wit Dr Webb. BSC - 4

This morning my appointment at the Worthing Hospital Medical Day Care Unit is at 9.45. The Infusion to commences the second cycle of chemotherapy.  Excretion of Oxaliplatin. The infusion was managed by Nurse Sarah again. The canula took 2 attempts, but was successful. Well cared for once more. BSC - 0

Another good night’s sleep ahead of my last rest day before cycle 2 starts. I am not expecting a phone call today cancelling my appointment tomorrow morning due to a failed Covid-19 test, but yesterday’s swabbing of the throat a nose was the first I had done at home.  No phone call from the hospital so it will 9.45 am at the MDCU tomorrow morning for the second infusion of Oxaliplatin . BSC - 4

Cycle 2 starts with the infusion on Thursday morning so today I have to swab for a Covid 19 PCR test. The swab needs to be delivered to the Pathology lab at Worthing Hospital. I have a blood test appointment at 11.35 am so will drop it off at that time. From home to home in 60 minutes! A friend is acting as my driver for these visits to hospital. He is retired from a career in the pharmaceutical industry and has a deep understanding of prescription drugs. When I told him about the side effects that I have experienced including my very wakeful Tuesday night he talked about how drugs are excreted from the body. 4 routes, urine, poo, sweat and breathe. BSC - 4 Xeloda paper - excretion - 95.5% in urine.

After the rolling side effects of the first 5 days it now seem odd to have a "normal" day. My sore throat has eased. More gargling with Difflam today. BSC - 3

The last of the tablets taken yesterday so today is the first of four rest days before the second cycle begins on Thursday. No obvious side effects and my sore throat has eased. More gargling with Difflam today. BSC - 3

Last 6 of the 54 tablets that made up the oral chemotherapy part of the first cycle of my chemotherapy treatment. My throat is still sore and the Difflam will be used to ease this again today. No side effects today. Weighed in at 77.1 kg - 171 lb - 12 stone 2 lb. BSC - 4

Woke up with a sore throat so called the 24 hour help number for chemotherapy patients at Worthing Hospital. The nurse on duty for the Beep number went though the online questions and told me to contact my GP to ask for a prescription for a mouth wash. The Glebe Surgery phone line opens for non emergency enquiries at 8.30 am and I was 8th in the queue when I called at that time.  The reseptionist took the details of my request and passed the note on to my GP. She phone at 10.30 am to discuss and then sent the prescription on to my selected pharmacist. I had already contacted them to check availability of the mouth wash,  Difflam . Collected around 4 pm and used three time during the rest of the day. Slept better, woke twice during the night.  6 more tablets today, penultimate day on the first cycle.  BSC - 3.

Slept better, woke twice during the night.  6 more tablets today.  A week into this 12 week treatment and I am surprised at how each day has brought a differing series of side effects.  Better day. BSC - 3

Another day of 6 tablets. Broken nights sleep with 5 visits to the toilet. Check excess urination for drug side effect. Mayo Clinic side effects page for Capecitabine   Excess urination not on this list. Capecitabine and urination. Tinnitus is to the fore. Very windy! BSC - 3 

Just three tablets this morning and three more this evening. Better night's sleep but not sound or deep. Less breathless this morning and overnight and that is good! Improved during the day, headache for a couple of hours.  Was the breathlessness due to the effective action of the drug? BSC 4

Just three tablets this morning and three more this evening.  Need to drink more! The main side effect today has been breathlessness. The cancer research website states: Breathlessness and looking pale You might be  breathless and look pale  due to a drop in red blood cells. This is called anaemia. The next blood test may reveal certainty with this. BSC - 1

Another day of tablets, 4 steroid and 6  capecitabine  all taken with food or within 30 minutes of eating.  Side effects easing and in the expected list for the drugs. BSC - 0

Second day of tablets, 4 steroid and 6  capecitabine  all taken with food or within 30 minutes of eating.  Side effects easing. The heightened pulse rate of the first 36 hours has started to return to normal. The other odd effect with pain in the teeth on first bite of food. A side effect not listed on the drugs leaflet. BSC - 0

 At my post-operative appointment on 16th September with Mr Baig he review the operation and the pathology of the 90mm section of removed colon. The tumour was fully removed, one of the 15 lymph nodes that were included in the section was cancerous and there were a few microscopic specks on the outside of the colon wall. He said that chemotherapy could be offered on a belt and braces approach to deal with any lingering risk. I of course said yes and then had an appointment on 7th October with Dr Webb and oncology consultant. He also reviewed the pathology of the cancerous section of colon. He then went though his preferred chemotherapy plan. 6 cycles of infusion and oral tablets repeated over 2 week periods.  The first treatment started on 4th October with covid-19 test training on 1st October along with a blood test. This was followed with an information appointment of Tuesday 2nd, this was with Sarah. My chemotherapy appointment was 9.45 am and I was driven by a friend to the hospita

Appoint with Mr Baig to review the diagnosis made from the Colonoscopy and the CT scan at the multi-disciplinary team meeting. The recommendation was a colon resection to remove the tumour and surrounding colon.  The operation was planned for 25th August with pre-op appoint on 17th and Stoma training on 23rd. Arrived at the Chanctonbury Suite at 7.30 am for preparation for the operation. This included taking a lot of tablets, putting on pressure socks and changing into a theatre dress. The nurse also covered the previously signed consent form.  Once ready I was walked to the anaesthetic preparation room climbed on the table and had a canula needle  inserted  in to the back of my have. while this was being done one of the anesthetise team talked to me about his training and career. He had been at the RD&E and reminisced about pubs that he frequented when he lived in Exeter. I don't recall being put under at around 9 am, but when I came to at about 4 pm I was greeted by Mr Baig w

On June 23rd 2021 I posted a faecal sample to the National Colon Cancer Screening Centre . A few days letter I received a letter advising that my sample had proved positive for blood protein and I was offered a phone appointment with Sue Roberts, a cancer nurse at Worthing Hospital. The phone appointment on July 7th was to talk about having a colonoscopy. I accepted the colonoscopy and it took place July 22nd with Mr Baig undertaking the procedure. The previous day was about cleansing with Moviprep, an interesting process. The colonoscopy revealed a polyp that was removed and a tumour. The tumour measured 50mm and protruded into the colon. At the review meeting that followed Mr Baig explained what had been discovered and recommended a colon resection to remove the tumour. The next appointment was for a CT scan at St Richards Hospital on 3rd August.