The night after the first treatment was very uncomfortable with a lot more chest and side pain than normal. The next day, Friday I spent most of it just lying down and moving as little as possible as this meant less pain.
I’m on my own all day as everyone else is out and generally feeling quite down with the pain, the morphine is having to be used more and more just to keep it down. The paracetamol and codeine on their own aren’t enough.
The next morning, Saturday I’m still in so much pain and fighting to control my breathing. Katie insists I call the treatment hotline who in turn want me to come into A&E in case I have some clots. They let A&E know I’m coming in.
Again I’m seen very quickly but hate that I’m on my own again
After more blood tests, chest x ray, ct scan they confirm there are no clots but there are small effusions on both lungs, my temperature is slightly high and one of my blood markers (inflammation) is very high.
They suspect I have an infection on the lungs and want to start IV antibiotics. They also want to admit me. I’m alone in the room in A&E and want to go home, I want to cry but lust about hold it together. Feeling really low now.
They hook me up to an antibiotic IV of Tazocin and within a couple of minutes of getting it my face feels very blotchy and hot. I’ve had an allergic reaction. Luckily it dies down almost as quickly but it was a horrible sensation.
Drs agree not to give that to me again and switch to oral antibiotics.
I’m initially transferred from A&E to the Emergency Assessment Unit. I thought that’s where I was staying for the night but after about an hour I was then transferred to a ward. I got a private side room which was really nice but I felt so lonely and fed up.
I have my dinner which was surprisingly nice and settle in for the night. As I’m lying there I notice for the first time that the pain as dulled significantly.
I’m woken up at 6.30am by a nurse with pain killers. I don’t feel rested at all but the pain has dulled further however I notice an old friend has returned as my cough has come back. I’d not had that for a few weeks now.
An oncology Dr arrives with the same registrar we saw on Tuesday. He confirms an infection but temperature is normal now and asks if I want to go home. Of course I do.
He tells me I need to consume lots of Kefir, a yoghurt drink with lots of bacteria. Apparently antibiotics and reduce the effectiveness of immunotherapy so this balances it out.
My lunch arrives and I’m starving hungry. I also don’t know what’s happening or if I’m going home today.
12.40 a nurse comes in to tell me I’m going home.
2pm I’m home. Cough is really annoying now but virtually no pain. I feel good. Also hungry.
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