Chemo day... at last!

Wednesday 27th January 2016

Hello
Yesterday I had my Long Chemotherapy Treatment day. This is what happened....

Tuesday 26th January 2016
9am My Long Chemotherapy Treatment day happens today. It was cancelled last week because of my PICC line problem and removal. So with my new Hickman line (which has a wider bore on the line. Less chance of blocking) installed in my chest, there should be no problems. No problems at all.

(so I thought)

My chemo nurse tried to take bloods from my new line, to make sure it is clear for todays chemo infusion. No blood flowed from my body. I was asked to cough alot, wave my arms, walk on the spot, etc. to get my blood flowing. Nothing happened. She tried teasing any blockages with a saline line flush injection. My bloods still did not flow.

A second nurse was asked over to have a try. Nothing. So I was put horizontal on a bed, same try again to take blood. Nothing still. Was asked to turn my head and cough alot again (throat was in agony), waving of arms, turning of my body.

Nothing still!

So I was given (surprise, surprise) 'urokinase' injected into my new line, and wait one hour for it reduce any line blockages. That means my chemo treatment is put on hold till the nurses see what develops in an hours time.

10:30am Blood flowed super fast into my nurses syringe. We are all happy. That means they can go ahead with my treatment.

Later on I was wearing a woolen jumper with front zipper, to make my new Hickman line more accessible for the nurses. Was feeling the heat. I should wear lighter tops for my treatments. Nose and eyes were watering and throat was raw from earlier dry coughings.

Later on in the afternoon the ward doctor had a look at my now-improving cuticles of my fingertips/big toe. She is really happy, and I have to continue with the meds I get to take home. Good stuff!

5:10pm I got my chest pump attached. It is the same as the previous arm pump. 46 hours of meds are pumped into me, at home, and I go back to the hospital to get it disconnected at 4pm on Thursday (a few days later). Then the nurse said I could go home. I grabbed a coffee from the reception machine, and half an hour later my brother picked me up to go home.

So I will be back in the hospital on Thursday afternoon.
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All the best,
Muz xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx