BAD NEWS when it happens ,comes thick and fast. My friend Maria her father and I, all diagnosed within months of each other. Shock waves swept through us all. We had always been close but some how the news we all had cancer made a bond, and never stronger ,than today.
Maria, knowing my vanity gave me her wig, she preferred scarves tied the exotic way. Maria is beautiful with olive skin and dark chocolate eyes. She had the most beautiful hair, long,dark thick and very curly. I think I cried more knowing she had lost hers than losing my own. Maria now has her wonderful hair once more. Where as mine is not sure whether it wants to stay or go. I for the moment still rely on wigs when I have a bad hair day.
I had decided to make the most of my baldness and bought a selection of wigs in different shades. I wanted to find out if blondes really did have more fun. For me the red hair attracted the most attention and I certainly had fun when passing people in the street who did a double take to see if it was me, or ,they did not recognise me at all.
This was of course after only one cycle of chemo. I was tired but still able to go out and try to get on with my life.
The second round would not be so straight forward. After treatment ,I went home and once more for the first couple of days I felt fine. The metal taste constant in my mouth no matter how many times I cleaned my teeth, annoyed me. I worried if I had bad breath
The third morning I woke with a sore throat and an ulcer in my mouth. I also had pain in my abdomen. I knew if I had a fever I would have to go into hospital. All day long I took my temperature which was a little high but, if it reached 38 degrees I would have to go.
I had not mentioned these symptons to Stephan until 8 pm in the evening when I had a fever just over 38 degrees. I had a bag packed ready and we left for the hospital.
Luck was once more on my side, Dr.Bartholo was on a weekend shift .I did not have to wait hours going through emergency. He took me straight to his ward where I was placed in a room ,all nurses would for this weekend wear masks when entering.
Blood results showing my defences were low . I was fed antibiotics through the vein for two days. I was then allowed home to continue the treatment ,tablet form .
The tiredness now cronic. I spent most of the time in a robe and just pottered around the garden. I was without strength, everything was an effort. I looked at my dog as she thumped her tail ,waiting for me to take her for a walk. I longed more than her to go on our country walks but I could not. I was not feeling good. I did not want to eat and was once more losing weight.
My third cycle, the same ,fine for a couple of days and then I went down. This time the pain in my stomach was so bad I could hardly walk or bend. I also had a fever.Back in the hospital. Blood taken, defences down, fed antibiotics. But there was something else, the pain ,I could not let the doctor touch me or even bear a cotton sheet on my stomach.
I was sent for a scan which did not show much due to the amount of surgery. The doctors thought it was a side effect from the chemotherapy. I was given morphine for the pain and allowed home the following day. The pain passed and I slept most of the days until my fourth cycle.
The fourth cycle also the same, but this time the pain in my abdomen started the following day. I had a fever and Stephan took me back to the hospital. I would remain there for the next two and a half months where Doctors would argue over my case while trying to save my life.
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