Today was meant to be my first day of chemo.  I woke up with a headache, after another sleepless night.  This time, I made the most of it, and typed three letters to Lloyds telling them I cannot keep on paying my payments at the moment, organised some paperwork, sent some email, etc.  Afterwards, my head was buzzing from that entire organisation!

Suzie came to the hospital with me.  First we needed to go to a ‘transitional unit’, which is a place where they assess patients and get them ready for the ward whilst waiting for a bed in the hospital.  The staff in the transitional unit were amazing, so helpful, and polite.  We were offered endless amount of tea and other refreshments, as well as snacks.  Suzie was very impressed, as in Homerton she was not even allowed to have a glass (neither was I some days as they had run out)! 

Minna turned up after 2pm, and about 3pm we were all escorted to the ward. 

In the ward, I was told, they were waiting for my chemo drugs.  At 6pm, I thought, surely the pharmacy is closed by now…  I asked the nursing staff, and they said they had my drugs.  Then there was the issue of intravenous (IV) fluids.  Apparently, in my notes is said, I would need IV fluids for 6 hours prior the chemo.  In the end, a doctor on-call came and brought us the bad news; I will not have the chemo today after all.  The main problem being, evening/night staff, well the lack of it.  When they start the chemo, I will need to be closely observed, every half an hour, and frankly they would not be able to do it over night.  Also, if anything went wrong, there was only one doctor on-call.  After hearing that, I was not confident to start the chemo, and happy to wait until the next morning. 

 It was disappointing though, a bit of an anti climax, for all three of us.  Suzie had been with me hours by then, and Minna had taken a half day, and Suzie the whole day off from work to be with me, and then nothing, after a whole day of waiting patiently.   I had had a nice day though hanging out with my two favourite girls, eating heaps, and heaps of food, chocolate, crisps, caramelized ginger…. 

Suzie went home, and said she will come back in the morning.  Minna and I decided to go out and get some dinner together.  We went to this Italian delicatessen/restaurant, Garluccio’s where Minna treated me for some delicious antipasti, and salad with Gorgonzola cheese!!  Yes, I managed to squeeze a moment with this gorgeous, creamy cheese before chemo.

Suzie & I taking the tube to the hospital.

Minna is reading about R-CHOP.

I am all ready for the chemo!

My raised chest and glands in my neck.

The time went by quite nicely eating yummy chocolate!

The view from my bed.

In the restaurant. Check out my accessories!

The main entrance to the hospital.