scanxiety …

… be gone!!

After managing to convince myself that both my bone and lung metastases had progressed, my PET CT scan was good.

This is something that neither Dr. Shaheenah or I were expecting given the levels of pain I have been experiencing in my back, hips and legs over the past two weeks.

I cannot actually begin to tell you how relieved I was to walk into Dr Shaheenah’s office and see her smiling at me, always a good thing!!

Briefly, one of the bone metastases on my lower spine as completely resolved itself and the remaining metastases in my lungs and lymph nodes are all showing lower levels of activity. The only negative on the scan is that fact that I have developed a pleural effusion on my right lung. This is a collection of fluid that forms in the lining of the lung. Dr Shaheenah is not too concerned and thinks it may be linked to all the steroids I have had to take.

I will continue on with my current chemotherapy protocol of Navelbine and 5FU aka Sid for another two cycles and then, at the end of April, we will do another PET CT scan to assess progress.

Now on to other things …

Princess Fiona has now been replaced by Dr. Evil … the high doses of steroids that I have had to take over the last eight weeks have really taken their toll. I have turned into a giant puffball and am a dead ringer for Dr Evil. Aside to being swollen and puffy, I have experienced a large amount of muscle weakness, this is likely to be why I have been in so much pain. I struggle to stand up or stand for too long and walking even a short distance has become a problem – the wheelchair has had to make an appearance again but, hopefully this will not be for too long.

I have nearly weaned myself off the steroids but it is likely to take another three to four weeks before my body starts getting back to normal. Can’t even begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to that.

Whole brain radiation has probably been the hardest treatment I have done to date. The actual radiation was not difficult but the side-effects and the recovery has been incredibly hard and there have been a few times in the past few weeks when I’ve just wanted to give up but, luckily, I have had a project to focus on that has really helped take my mind off things now and again.

Project House Move …

Yep, we finally found a new home … a brand new home that suits our needs perfectly.

We have found a lovely, light, bright and airy single storey villa in Mirdif with a lovely private swimming pool. We are going to be moving on the 12th of April and it has been great to have something to keep me busy.

Moving into this villa will make my life so much easier as everything will be on one level and I won’t have to tackle the stairs anymore which have become a real problem for me.

I must admit that the actual move is filling me with a little trepidation but we have a good company coming in to pack up and unpack on the other side and both Jemma and Steve will be around to supervise. I plan to just direct from Command Central!!

We are all super-excited to be moving into such a lovely home and having a fresh start somewhere that will have have such a large impact on my quality of life.

Watch this space for photos once we are in and settled.

Always xx

move over dory …

I’m afraid that, over the last week, I’ve morphed from an, albeit barely treading water, beautiful tropical fish into a very swampy green Princess Fiona!!

The actual radiation is easy and only takes about ten minutes from start to finish … the whole process including the commute to the hospital takes around two hours.

It’s the side-effects that are proving nasty and started almost instantaneously … nausea, a permanent headache; pins and needles in my face, hands and feet;  zero taste; awful balance and co-ordination and a very swampy fuggy brain … none of which are helped by a lack of sleep … a side-effect of all the steroids I am taking to try and keep the swelling on the brain under control and the headaches manageable.

It’s been a long, tough week but I’m a third of he way through treatment … five fractions down, ten more to go!!

I have a feeling that it will be a couple of weeks before Princess Fiona makes way for Dory again but we’ll get there.

Watch this space!

Always xx