Skip to main content

More than 4 years of treatment and a year since my heart attack.

 A year ago today I had an appointment for a chemotherapy infusion, but when I had my blood pressure checked I showed that I was suffering a heart attack and was taken to

A&E. That event led to having 3 stents inserted and a good recovery. 

Today I enjoyed my 62 nd infusion and know how lucky I am. The nurse that undertook the procedure to insert a PICC line 39 months sago told me that I am the patient with the longest time with one the she inserted and it is still working perfectly.

Recent one of the IV nurses told me I am their longest attending patient, have had over 100 visits to the 3 clinics I go to, Shoreham & Durrington Health Centres and Bognor Regis War Memorial Hospital.

Today was also good as the blood test that show cancerous activity level dropped back to 3 after rising to 4 after my recent 8 week break from treatment.

I realise that I am lucky as the consultant said to have genetics that aline with the FOLFIRI treatment and that patients who continue to tolerate the regime 56 cycles in are fairly rare. And other day to be happy!

Fabulous!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Blood Test Results

 The pre-treatment blood test is important to ensure that patients are capable of with standing the toxic effects of the chemotherapy drugs. My neutrophil and Alt levels have cause deferment over the past few months. This weeks blood test results are ok so Monday's infusion will go ahead. That's Monday morning at 9:30 am definitely early! 

Oncologist consultation

 I have a quarterly appointment with my oncology consultant, Dr David Webb or one of his team every three month. Last week my appointment was with one of his team and two Mcmillan nurses, Sue and Jo. The oncologist asked how Iam coping with the treatment having had 20 chemotherapy infusions. I told her that I continue to tolerate the drugs very well and am managing most of the key side-effects well and continue to search for solutions for the others. She then told me that the recent CT Scan showed that the two growths remain stable, and the Blood CEA marker has recently fallen to 2, the lowest since November 2021. Most pleasing. She then asked if I wished to have a break, which I declined an ordered a further 12 infusions.

Chemotherapy Cycle 20

My 20th infusion occurred on August 23rd a week later than expected due to last week's abscess. Blood test was on Mondayand while the Neutrophils were in the normal range at 2.6, the Liver function test ALT was high at 131, up from 89 four weeks previously. This result need Dr Webb, my consultant's approval before the chemotherapy could go ahead. Drugs can only be ordered from the hospital Pharmacy once approval has been given so there was a two-hour delay befor ethe drugs arrived. All went well and I was discharged only around 45 minutes later than expected. Just needed Corsodyl mouthwash in the way of drugs this cycle. The next step on this journey is pump removal on Friday and CT scan on 29th August.