Hi all,
I managed to complete the six cycles of chemotherapy, but not without some more drama!
Between cycles 4 and 5 something changed and I had really bad back pain that required an ambulance trip, morphine, gas and air, and hospital admissions of four and five days with one day at home inbetween.
Although (and thankfully) my spinal column wasn't being compressed, I was still getting neuropathic pain from the bone lesions. After four days of tinkering they discharged me with twice-daily 10mg slow-release morphine and up to 2.5mg of oramorph up to 4 hourly for 'breakout pain' where the slow-release wasn't controlling things.
The following day the pain got worse again and was worryingly centred on the chest and radiating to the armpit: classic heart attack symptoms! After loads of tests including ECG, MRI, CT, x-ray, it turned-out the heart wasn't involved: those pain loci just happened to be pain from my T3 spinal lesion. After more experimentation, this time they discharged me with twice-daily 20mg slow-release morphine and up to 10mg or oramorphup to 2 hourly. Thankfully I've not needed either the amount or the frequency of oramorph I'm allowed, but it's reassuring to know it's there if I need it. The slow-release morphine seems just the right level that it keeps pain away the vast majority of the time but without getting me off my face on opiates!
The downside of needing the painkillers is that I can't drive any more, but this is a minor thing, particularly since I have my 60+ Oyster Card for free travel within the London Boroughs after 9am on buses and 9:30am on the tube on weekdays and anytime at weekends.
I'm still working, but instead of my Mon/Wed/Fri arrangement I now have a much more flexible arrangement where my boss lets me work what I want (he's still keen on getting my input/involvement, and I still still love doing what I do). My boss even pays for an Uber or Bolt for my 22 mile commute on the days I physically come in to work (some stuff I can do from home via VPN).
Another not-so-great change is that I now wear a back brace when I'm not in bed. This provides additional support to the spine for where the lesions have weakened it. This is in addition to the 4-weekly bone-strengthening treatment I get. The biggest buggerance is that it is like a corset, so in this weather I'm sweating like a pig. I'll be much happier when the weather becomes cooler later in the year.
I'm still having fun and travelling into the centre of London for gallery and bookshop visits amongst other things. I'm looking forwards to the Carcassonne tournament to be held at the Mind Sports Olympiad next weekend, and in a couple of months or so there's the London Pen Show where I'll drool over fountain pens and associated paraphernalia.
That's all for now, folks,
All the best,
Chris
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Goodness me, Chris, you are fairly going through it. And still working and enjoying yourself when you can. You are absolutely right to fill your life with good things. And, talking of which, how is your son doing? Is he at university now? I've lost track of how old he must be.
Big hugs ((( Chris and family )))
Julia xx
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Hi Julia,
My son will be doing his A-levels next summer. He's definitely taken after me with the science and technology, and his 3D-printing his a whole level beyond mine. There's an organisation called the Hack Club that encourages school children into STEM projects. They typically give a brief (such as design an unusual 3D printer) to which the children have to submit (individually) their designs. Once/if the design is approved, they are given a budget to build it. Once built and proven to work, they get paid flights and accommodation to exhibit their printer on the Hack Club stand at a huge 3D printing fayre. My son has now exhibited his designs at THREE United States exhibitions! I'm a very proud dad
At the last exhibition, even though he hasn't even started his degree (probably in Mechanical Engineering), he was offered a job for $60,000!!!
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As Julia says, being able to do things you enjoy is key. Congratulations to your son for his success with the 3D printing, that sounds like hard work and great fun. {{{{{ Chris }}}}}