Piia Pauliina
  • In the Royal Marsden as an in-patient

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    August 25th, 2009

    Apologies for the late blog up-date.  Our BT phone line has been cancelled, yet again, and we do not have internet at home.  Furthermore, I am currently in the Royal Marsden as an in-patient where there is no wireless internet.

    I have been unwell, pretty much for a week now since the second cycle of chemo.  My energy levels have been lower than normal, and I have been suffering from nausea.  Also, eight hours of sleep does not seem to be enough for me; I have needed twelve hours most nights!

    I felt pretty good on Saturday though, which was my day 5 post chemo.  It was a lovely sunny day, and Stephanie had invited me for a day out in Hyde Park.  I was glad to be able to go, as Steph, Nicky and I had a great day!  I managed to do something to my left foot though, and I have been unable to walk on it properly since.  Flip-flops are not the best walking shoes!

    The next day, I felt knackered.  I spent most of the day in London Fields (my nearest park) lying down.  I was absolutely pooped at the end of the day, and was asleep already at 9pm.

    On Monday, I was scheduled to go in to the Royal Marsden to have my bloods checked out.  I felt absolutely awful in the morning, and was lying on my bed unable to get up.  In the end, I forced myself to go out, and started my very painful journey to the hospital.  I felt horrible stabbing pains in my tummy, a bit like a cramp, which came in waves.  By the time my train arrive in South Kensington, I felt sick, shivery, and dizzy.  I thought, I was going to faint at the tube station.  I struggled my way into the hospital, and pretty soon as got in there, I bumped into Lucy, my nurse.  She asked if I was OK, and I burst into tears.  I was so exhausted of pain and feeling ill.

    She led me into the outpatient clinic where I had my OBS and bloods taken.  I saw my team doctors, and as my temperature was up to 37.5 degrees, they decided to admit me in.  They were suspecting I was brewing some sort of an infection, which was making me feel run down.

    I was taken to Ellis ward, the same ward where I had my first chemo.  As I had not planned to stay the night, I did not have any of my stuff with me.  I had planned to spend the Monday evening and Tuesday day with Anna, my lovely friend from Finland.  I called her to tell her that there had been a slight change of plans.  Anna came to the hospital to pick up my keys and then went all the way to mine to get my stuff.  Bless her; she was such a great help to me.

    I was feeling low yesterday, simply quite fed up with the cancer and feeling ill.  I am grateful of being here in the hospital, and receiving the care, as I am hoping I will feel better soon.  I had a fairly rough night.  Those cramps in my tummy came back, and I kept waking up needing to go to the toilet with stabbing pains in my bladder.  Also, I had the usual night sweats, typical to this cancer.  Darya, the lovely nurse who gave my first chemo, was on night duty.  She took a good care of me.  I wish I knew what these tummy cramps were about.

    I saw a dietician today.  She advised me to snack more.  I said it is quite difficult to me as I was never a ‘snacker’ in the first place, and when you feel nauseous, the last thing you want to do is to snack.  Also, I have never really had a ‘sweet tooth’, so it is quite difficult to find things to snack that are not sweet.  I suppose, I could eat nuts.  She prescribed me some energy drinks that I can have between meals.  I am definitely giving these drinks a go, as I do not want to keep on losing weight.  I have been losing about one kilo per week in the last month.  If this keeps going on, there soon will not be much left of me!

    I am hoping to get well soon.  I have my interview with Kevin at Maggie’s this Friday, and I also need to start packing!  I had a bout of feeling feverish and very achy again this afternoon; so I am not fully clear from this infection, yet.  They took some blood cultures this morning, and if there are any abnormalities in the results, they can give more specific antibiotics to beat what ever it is that is causing my illness.  Maybe, just maybe I can go home tomorrow.

    In Hyde Park by the 7/7 memorial

    In Hyde Park by the 7/7 memorial

    Nicky, the Dutchie and I in Hyde Park.

    Nicky, the Dutchie and I in Hyde Park.

    Stephanie and Nicky relaxing by the Diana memorial in Hyde Park.

    Stephanie and Nicky relaxing by the Diana memorial in Hyde Park.

    Me in Hyde Park.

    Me in Hyde Park. If you look carefully, Nicky is cycling in the background.

    Steph and I in Hyde Park.

    Steph and I in Hyde Park.

    The view from my bed in the Royal Marsden.

    The view from my bed in the Royal Marsden.

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