Welcome to R2D1, save the jokes for tomorrow, I’ve prepped for it! Watch this space!
So as I said before, this year is inpatient treatment, they won’t have me on the day unit for safety reasons. Saw the MS nurse a few weeks ago and it was all systems go. Bloods were all clear of the Nasties like HIV, hepatitis and TB, so let’s have this. The plan was to bring me in on the Sunday afternoon (14th October) and start the treatment on the Monday. I had a schedule sorted out, planned the weekend in military detail, then the phone rang at 13:30 on Saturday afternoon to ask me to come straight in as they had a side room available. So I finish packing my bag and off I go!
After arriving about 14:30 I was settled in and they did the paperwork. Didn’t see a doctor until about 9 that night, but I was told this was all fine, they just needed the bloods results for the Sunday morning and we were good to go!
Sunday morning came and went but sadly my blood results did not. Just when I was beginning to dispair that it wasn’t going to happen the loveliest doctor showed up with cannula in hand and got it in first time of trying! Things were looking up! The steroids started, they started to take effect and I got a bit bouncy, nothing too much, Tigger on a slow day. Then the taste started, who slipped battery acid in my tea?
Lemtrada was up next, and again I could feel the effects, started to feel very tired, headache started, and generally felt eurggghhhh (very highbrow medical term), but still things were going well. Lemtrada finished, and the last bag of fluids went up, which is when the wheels started getting wobbly. Temp started spiking, I was freezing, then shivering, then hot and sweaty, then clammy, and the temp hit 38.9 despite open windows, paracetamol, a fan and lots of cold fluids. I’ve had two docs come and have a poke and a prod and they’re none the wiser, so we watch and wait.
Then the blood sugar, not wanting to feel left out joined in. At 23.7 I had 4 units of insulin, playing the waiting game now.
The good news is day one is in the bag, well more specifically out of the bags and in my veins. I’m sure I can feel my lymphocytes dying already, but I might be imagining that, they might be fighting back and that’s what’s happening with the temp. Anyway it’s done and I can move around and go to the loo with ease again.
Tomorrow’s start will be delayed while they consult with the boss (the MS nurse) and possibly the consultant. I’m hoping the delay is in hours and not days, I’m not staying here! My sights are set on Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest. So any longer and I’ll be looking for a task force to dig me a tunnel? Volunteers please apply below?
In the meantime I’m still smiling, have a row of Welsh Sheep lined up to count later and I’m desperately hoping for sleep to arrive. Despite asking two doctors, no sleeping pills are written up. Last night I couldn’t sleep but I stayed in bed and kept quiet, tonight I might be a bit more difficult if I can’t, they’ll be making sure I have them for tomorrow....
No comments:
Post a Comment