A birthday with a difference!

I had a strange birthday yesterday. Spent having yet another new experience sat in a very comfortable chair, being stabbed with needles four times in total on the back of my hands resulting in some lovely blue bruises, (I shall be taken soon for an alien as I will no doubt end up blue all over) and receiving lot’s of different inputs ranging from Steroids, anti-sickness stuff to my two separate chemo’s. K sat diligently at my side, noseying as she always does at everything going on around her.

 

She had taken a ‘Goonies’ book in with her to wile away the time, but it never emerged from her backpack all the time we were there (which turned out to be considerable) nor come to think of it,  did my intended ‘help to pass the time’ book of code words. Instead (as is usual for us, seemingly being known personally by half of Yorkshire, well K is) we knew the lady who was receiving chemo on the opposite side to us, and ended up spending most of our time chatting to her about experiences and good times at K’s infant school all those years ago, where this lady was a dinner lady. (which readers will go some way to explaining there intimate knowledge of each other, as that was even in those days, K’s only reason for existence and attendance.)

As for the allotted four hours of chemo, that went by the board as soon as the nurse who was dealing with me tried to ‘hook me up’ by inserting a cannula into the back of my hands.. First she tried the right hand, seeing as I am left handed. The vein in question promptly moved away to the side. No joy. Now the left hand. First vein, again no joy, so she tried a smaller vein running alongside. At last it began to work but this effort had thrown us about half an hour late. K watched ever move, even down to the tapping of any syringes by the nurses as they cleared the needles of air.

I was hoping that I might make the whole session without needing to journey to the toilet but we ended up making about six visits in total (typical for me, who says one of my kidneys is blocked?) and boy was I glad K was with me because as my left hand now had the cannula and therefore all the chemo stand attached, I was having to use my right hand and I am useless with that hand. I also seemed to have been lumbered with a Chemo stand that was determined to only travel to the right, with the ensuing problem that I ended up doing a sort of waltz with it down the corridor. It reminded me of my usual choice of supermarket trolleys which always insist on going anyway but the way you want them to.

We were served a welcome cup of tea, some dinner ( I had salad, K had a sandwich) another cup of tea in the afternoon, and as my chair was laid down so my legs were elevated, I honestly could have dozed. The nurses were lovely (although before I went home, the one who had dealt with me most of the day said jokingly don’t ask for me again next time you come!)

Presents given to me by nursing staff, some antiseptic mouthwash to prevent mouth sores and some cream for the bruises at the back of hands caused by attempted insertion of cannula’s, two lot’s of anti-sickness tablets and some steroid tablets.

We had to wait ages for the transport though and thought we might have to make a bed up on the sofa for the night. It didn’t arrive until 17.00pm so in total we had been there from 10.00am in the morning until 17.00pm at night. I’m having one of those chairs though. They are so comfortable and just like the hospital electric beds, are ideal for putting your legs up. It’s getting them home without being spotted that will be the problem. Wonder if K has any bright ideas?

TG

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