That was the week that was ...

Good grief. That was a hell of a week.

It's amazing how time can be morphed when strange things are afoot. Normally a Monday to Friday would fly by - routines remains the same, little variation, no suprises. I cannot honestly believe that it was only on Monday at 12:00, that I was getting The News (confirmed).

Since then I've had my diagnosis of Lymphoma, a horrendous bone marrow scrape, I've sayed in hospital with some very sick people, had a biopsy, answered a million questions, been examinded by a hundred doctors and taken some very strange drugs. Nearly 7 years "drug-free" has kinda gone out the window, but I guess under the circumstances, it's understandable.

The itself operation was amazing really. Only a small op as such, but the whole procedure is just incrediable. I'd had a dose of some morphine based painkiller an hour before, got to theatre, had an amazing shot of something descibed as 'a little comforter' - just total bliss - then the gas mask was on and I took little breaths just hoping I could suspend that total painfree feeling for a few momen..

.. then you come to. 2 hours has passed, although it seems like a second. Zero memory of anything. Nothing. Not even a dream or a distance memory. Just one second there. Next second here.

A never-quenchable thirst followed all day with a strange side effect of not being able to force out any wee. Complete lack of control of the bladder in terms of 'pushing'. At least the 'holding' was still there. Odd. Took about 8 hours to sort that one back out. Glad to be back in control of the waterworks.

I discharged myself at 8:00pm. I thought I'd made a mistake as I went home. I was so light-headed. A good friend took care of me. Got me some food at home (even did my washing up) and for a while there, I had a taste of what it must like to be too old and frail to do anything and need a carer. Scary. I was left alone once set up and spent the evening forcing pizza slices down every 20 mins to regain some strength.

Sleep OK. Just waited until 1:30am, until I HAD to go to bed. Can only sleep on back. Right arm cut, so can't sleep on the that side, left side swollen spleen, so that's out.

Although I woke with a lot of night sweats and needed to drink often, I did sleep and I finally got out of bed at 13:00 - been a while since that happened. Felt like a student.

I have a bad sore throat - not sure if that's the lymph nodes in my throat now enlarging or a side-effect of the tubes stuck down the throat.

I have called my doctor who is writing out a 'script for some high-grade painkillers should things get tough in the next 14 days or so.

And so begins the wait ... thank God there is no more poking, injecting, proding or cutting for a while. I just need to keep occupied until the results come back and I know exactly what flavour of Lymphoma we are looking and at what stage it is. And if my spleen is to stay of go (I suspect it is to go, due to the size).

So - that's that - there may not be much more to report for a while, although I do have one of my 'insiders' who reckons he can get my a download on the CT scan images and movie - so I might be able to show you all a fly-through of my rotten spleen. You lucky, lucky people.

Sorry the writing is pretty poor. I'm not feeling overly creative - but that doesn't mean I'm miserable! I'm in quite good spirits, still poking fun at myself, the situation and others whenever possible. I'm pretty confident that come Monday, I'll be back at work and able to enjoy the run up to Christmas without too much drama.

Take care ... speak soon.

Hobo

I slept rough last night.

I slept on a bench in the TV room with my jumper as a blanket. No snoring, shouting, belching, farting, groaning or beeping - bliss.

Was woken, showered and into my sexy plastic pants, stockings and gown.

I think I'm up for my tiny op pretty early. Looking forward to that 3 seconds of bliss before unconsciousness. There might even be sedatives before *exciting*. Tried to blag a valium last night. Failed to score.

Right. Have a great day. Back very soon, one lymph node lighter.



Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Lab rat

This is hard to write.

Not in a "I'm leaving you" kind of way. But because I've got a bloody needle in my right arm right in the bendy bit and I'm typing on a blackberry, which requires the bendy bit to bend.

So this is hard to write.

In a ward. Lights out but found a TV room with football and found a guy to chat to with cancer, who is also a diver. What are the odds?

Felt crap this morning, little sleep and the trauma of the bone scrape was getting to me, mentally and physically. I don't know why, but the scariest part of this whole deal has been thinking about when I have to do that again.

A good friend came to see me this evening. The nurses let me roam free after sticking this thing in my arm and we went for a CrappoBurger over the road. Company is appreciated. Spend too long alone and you just can't but think about things like 'spleens'.

I'm feeling like a lab rat already. Poked, prodded, felt, injected and questioned. Although rats are unlikely to be questioned that much to be honest.

I'm tired but won't sleep. Some seriously looking ill people lie around me, like I've stumbled into the set of the next Rob Zombie film. A glimpse of our futures, near or far.

Tomorrow, a general anesthetic (?) and a quick removal of lymph node from under the arm. Must remember not to spray on deodorant tomorrow.

Thanks to the gazillion of well-wishers. Its touching.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device