I am so late updating my blog!  I have started to sleep better night by night since the weaning of steroids.  So, I am no longer awake most of the night typing away.  I have to find time to write my blog during the day now, like ‘normal’ people!  I have fully stopped taking the steroids as of yesterday, so it will be interesting to see how I will be feeling.  I can tell you already now, I do not feel as energetic as I did on steroids.

On Wednesday I went to the Maggie’s to talk to Jay about Lloyds hassling me, and to join a session run by hairdressers from Cox Mcmillan who had come to the Maggie’s to talk about hair loss due to cancer.  They will be coming to the centre every month, not only to give advice but also to help us practically by shaving/cutting hair as required, and to show us how to use scarves and to help us with wigs if needed.  Apparently when the hair starts growing back post all treatment, it may grow back curly, different colour and texture.  And, you should treat the new hair like you would treat baby hair.  It would be funny if my hair grew back curly!  Over time, the hair tends to go back to ‘normal’ the way it was pre-cancer. 

I was invited for a dinner at my friend Julie’s new home on Wednesday evening.  What a lovely dinner it was!  It was so nice to be able to relax in a calm environment.  It has been so hectic since the diagnosis, actually quite stressful, and I guess I do not relax enough.  I feel, like I need a holiday.  Eloise and Claire joined us later on, and all three of us got to try on Julie’s designs, samples from her work, Nougat London (Julie’s a women’s wear designer).  I got this lovely top made with cotton and silk material (please see the pic below).  Gorgeous.

I was meant to have the operation for the insertion of a portacath at the Royal Marsden yesterday.  Following a review by three anaesthetists, they thought it was too risky to put me under general anaesthetic (GA).  I have had few respiratory problems since the diagnosis, and since GA carries a high risk of respiratory compromise, I was advised to have a PICC line instead which can be inserted under local anaesthetics.  Initially, I was hugely disappointed I was not going to have the portacath, and I thought they were being over cautious.  Now, in retrospect, I am pleased to have the PICC line instead!

What is PICC line then?  It is another form of central venous access device, and the name stands for: peripherally inserted central catheter.  The name explains a lot, PICC is a narrow, long tube that is inserted into the vein in your arm, and then pushed along the vein until it hits the large vein leading to the heart.  

So, I had a PICC inserted yesterday.  It was not painful, and the whole procedure will not leave me any scars!  I have enough scars that it is, so that is a bonus.  The downside of a PICC is, the dressings need to be changed, and it needs to be flushed weekly.  I could have a district nurse to come to my house to do it, but it may be easier if a friend did it.  Minna is coming to the hospital with me today to learn how to do it.  And, hopefully Suzie will be happy to learn the procedure as well.  

One of Julie's designs!