26. I hate Wednesdays

So, like Garfield hates Mondays, I hate Wednesdays.

I also had the worse lessons at school on a Wednesday, the worse jobs to do at work, etc etc!

Last night I didn't sleep very well for 2 reasons.

1. Tooth ache, this is the first time I've ever actually had tooth ache.

2. The arm with my PICC line in is slightly painful and really uncomfortable.

As soon as they were open I rang the dentist to sort an emergency appointment, seeing them tomorrow.

I also rang the cancer helpline about my arm and they said I need to get it checked out just incase it's a DVT, a blood clot. These can be common with PICC lines and easily treatable.

I mentioned I had an appointment at the hospital in the morning anyway so they said pop round to AEC (Ambulatory Emergency Care) to get it checked out.

I arrived at the hospital just gone 10:30am for an appointment with Miss Naseem, the surgeon, for a discussion on next steps.

Straight away things started going a bit wrong. I know the NHS are still massively under pressure due to Covid, but today was the first time during my treatment so far that I felt lost and annoyed.

• Miss Naseem was running 45mins late.

• I had to see other departments that I had no knowledge of before hand

• I had 2 different departments wanting bloods but didn't tell each other so had to go back twice to get this done. Plus they could take it from my PICC line so I was used as a pin cushion 3 times (the 2nd woman couldn't get any blood)

• I got pushed between different department waiting rooms leading to them loosing me and my scan being late!

I managed to cover over a mile in the Hospital today, this is how it went;

• Trial blood

• Surgeon

• Pre op form and vitals

• Aec bloods

• Aec arm review

• Ultrasound

• Macmillian ultrasound

• Ultrasound

• Macmillian Ultrasound

• Aec

All this with only 3 hours sleep and no breakfast. It was 2pm when I had my ultrasound and by then I was hangry.

Anyway, all that rant aside, an update on surgery and my arm.

Surgery should take place on the 17th May. It will be a Lumpectomy (so just removing the lump and some lympnodes in my armpit for a biopsy), this will be done under a General Anesthetic and I'll be in and out the same day.

Miss Naseem was very happy with the progress of the chemo. She said the lump hadn't shrunk that much (5mm) but she was surprised that should could hardly feel the lump anymore. So all good!

As for my arm, there are no signs of a clot. They think I may have just strained it. So I have to rest it, take pain killers and put ice on it. I have to go back next week for another ultrasound for a check up.

After all this at hospital I then had to go for my 2nd Covid jab! Luckily that went smoothly. Just hoping I feel OK tomorrow! (Fingers crossed, touch wood, rub a rabbits foot....etc!)

Right, again I am exhausted so off to bed now. I will leave you with a pic of my lovely bruises from being a pin cushion!