CT Scan Day...

Finally arrives. I’m prepared and ready to leave so go in to check Holly as it is 7:45am and I am disappointed to see her glasses on top of her clothes thrown on the floor. I mention this to her and that these will get broken if someone treads on them. She replies with … “ It’s ok as no-one will walk over my clothes” What can I say!!!

As I get into my car, packed with books, iPod and dressing gown, my neighbour across the roads shouts over and reminds me if I want to pop over any time feel free and off I go to Musgrove Park Hospital well on time for my appointment. Get an easy parking space for 7:55am in the morning and then realise I have to go to a different building so walk all the way round, A&E looks busy and find my way to the main X-Ray department and get booked in.

I get settled as have to drink lots of water, put my iPod away as I have left the headphones at home and start reading a book given to me by Laura, called “Life is short wear your party pants”. This is written by a stress management counsellor and I get stuck in. She uses the verses for Blues songs to demonstrate how people can see some of their own distortion and I have to stifle my laughter and she writes some well known verses. I woke up this morning, didn’t sleep a wink all night,….. Nurse reminds me to drink my water and then it’s my turn to get changed into the fetching hospital gown to be scanned.

She follows me through from the changing cubical to the scanning room. She would prefer if I could wait to go the toilet as this won’t take long. Oh I thought this was going to be a long one but she reassures me it is only 5/10 minutes. I get on the bed and the Dr comes out and explains the procedure and that I have to have a line placed in (oh no another needle) to pass some fluid round to assist with the image. Not to worry, one of them told me I would get a foul taste in my mouth, and I would feel warm as this fluid goes all around my body. This is all I remember being told. I’m left alone now and the bed moves under the scanner , computer voice says , “Take a deep breath and hold” so I do and wonder if this machine breaks would people realise and breath properly again. This happens a couple of times as the bed moves backwards and forwards under the scanner. Then I can feel this liquid going in and I’m getting hot and there’s a horrible taste in my mouth. I think please don’t take too long as it goes round my body then I feel I have wet myself. I feel mortified. Why didn’t they tell me I’d have brought a spare pare of knickers. I start to feel a bit cross now and the bed moves out and nurse comes in to help me up. She asks if I’m ok. I nod as still feeling bewildered, she asked if I had felt the warm liquid and did I feel as if I’d wet my self. I replied yes I did, you mean I haven’t wet myself?” “No that’s just the liquid” How relieved do I feel. Cant wait to get out. All over with I can get dressed. They can’t tell me when I get the results as they will come through the Dr. Thank you that ‘s great …… Off I go to the breast care clinic.

I tell reception I’m here to see one of the specialists nurses, I take up my seat in the waiting room and write. Jane spots me and asks if I mind waiting as they have another patient to see. I don’t mind as I am calling in without an appointment and I mention that I have been given some advise on complimentary medicine that I will research into to take along side my chemo and she hands me a leaflet on Somerset Cancer Care. Off I trot to get some breakfast. A huge chocolate covered muffin calls out to me. Got to build my strength up. I scoff that and go back to my writing whilst I wait for Jane. She calls me in and we have a chat. I can drink alcohol whilst on chemo!!!. Get the important stuff clarified first. I do need to find all I can about my tumour and she explains the Tumour Grading to me and that until the final results come in from Bristol there is no further news. I need to avoid Oestrogen. She will ring me Monday to advise of the CT Scan results. I have already told her I am trying not to panic as feeling pains all over my body but know I am just being slightly paranoid.

Jane kindly takes me up to the chemo area after our chat and it is lovely. The corridor is a pale lilac colour, and then there are individual rooms where the drugs are administered where there could be more then 1 person at a time receiving chemo. Jane introduces me to the receptionist and I feel so calm and relaxed. I answer Jane’s question that my nurse is Lorna whom she knows and then finds out she is on study leave today so can’t meet her but she turn’s up on our way out and we get introduced. She seems lovely and I immediately feel totally relaxed about the whole going to have chemo thing. Jane also tells her I work for the informatics part of the Trust and her eyes light up and says oooo I could pick your brains (you have to find them first I think)

I feel so much better after this morning and feel really calm about the whole thing. I thanked Jane for her time and make my way to the car park only to realise I cannot find my car parking ticket. Oh no .!!!! I pull everything out of bag and rucksack. Typical I hate this. I make a point of putting ticket in my purse and it is not there. I go over to bluebell (car) to see if I have left it there and cannot see it. I march back to pay station muttering the explanation I am going to give car park attendant if they charge me extra and I hear a horn, looked over at the ambulance and saw Holly’s swimming coach. I walked over and she got out and said she had been watching me marching and muttering (yes it did look funny) so I enlightened her of my current dilemma and that I had been practicing what I might say to any unhelpful car park controller. Explained to her why I was there and I’m super hormonal so really would like a smooth exit. She came up with good advice. Had I tried seeing if I could get another ticket issued from the machine. Fabulous idea so walked across as she pulled up at the exit with her ambulance. Uh o the ticket machine says no. Lovely lovely ambulance driver pressed the button her side and said ambulance crew requiring exit, ok was the reply, handed me her ticket and then left. WOW there is someone smiling at me. Ran past bluebell and back again (lost her in the excitement) and laughed all the way home !!!!

Next milestone is Monday when I hope to get the results of CT Scan, Wednesday Hair appointment, then the following Wednesday is chemo day 14 days……….

Meanwhile I will be looking at diet and antioxidents……….