Once again thank you to everyone sending love and encouragement. I have needed all the support as the last two weeks have been disappointing. I was hoping for a pleasant week off from chemo but sadly I didn't feel so good with some real discomfort in the liver area and general feeling of exhaustion, dodgy digestive system and temperature control.
The blood test before the beginning of the second cycle on Wednesday explained it all. The original liver blood reading before the first chemo started was 70, which went down to a healthier 30 before the second chemo session. Sadly the the opposite occurred this week with a spike to 700! This apparently is a sign of an inflamed liver irritated by the chemical gemcitabine so in my session this week I only had the other chemical (cisplatin). Another blood test next week will see how my poor old liver is coping.
Other more interesting things,however, have been going on in the last 2 weeks. Beth and Chrissie visited first, and C came again before going off to the Isle of Skye for Greenpeace boat training. He has been headhunted for another fund raising job, which he is considering. He still has plenty of energy left from his very busy life to mow grass here! He and Beth are keen gardeners in their Walthamstow patch so there is a certain amount of father/son rivalry. Best of all is quality time with each of them to talk and listen.
Phil and family came next when Barney got back from his end of SATS/ end of primary school camp on the Isle of Wight. It was half term so they were able to stay a few days of pretty miserable weather. Still, being into survival techniques, they spent a lot of time making camp in the wood as well as helping Grandpa in the veg garden and enjoying the big old tractor mower. Phil is ace at bureaucracy and form filling in and is coming next week to look after me when Geoff goes to his Newport RI conference. The 'children' feel a break will do him good so have bullied him into it.
Our third lot of visitors brought some really exciting news: an engagement! Si and Ruth are getting married later this year. We are all thrilled. They are very happy together and make a lovely couple. Exact date and kind of wedding to be announced but it will be small, family and two lots of friends. They want something a little offbeat and quirky... Watch this space. We of course celebrated with an excellent meal at a nearby village pub restaurant which specialises in fresh daily seafood from St Mawes. Superb. I must just mention my starter of juicy ripe figs stuffed with goats cheese and wrapped with parma ham. Inspired.
So you see I'm still enjoying eating, though quantity is down. And as it is the Open Garden season we are going to see what other people's gardens are like. Thursday, the day after chemo, I felt fine so we had quite a busy day: voted of course, then went on a Wiltshire Victoria County History jolly to Odstock Manor, near Salisbury, a most interesting old house with a long history still being unravelled, in part from the 16th century with all sorts of changes right up to the present day of a charming tower cupola. We enjoyed the gardens and then were given tea and free range of the whole house and their art collection. Fascinating.
In the evening we went to see a show, part of the Devizes Arts Festival which had rave reviews last year at Edinburgh, 'Austentatious'. As the audience enters the space they are invited to suggest a title for a possible play. From this undoubtedly motley collection, the young company of six choose one on which to improvise... 'Charlotte the Siren of Devizes'.. lots of local and of course Jane Austenish references. Very lively and funny.
A quiet weekend for once for Geoff to prepare his paper and for us visit some local open gardens. I shall have to keep my mouth closed for the week as one of my front teeth, an old crown, broke off, 4 o'clock Friday, classic inconvenient time. As if I didn't have enough to trouble me.. the dentist doesn't have a big enough slot for root canal until next Friday!
The blood test before the beginning of the second cycle on Wednesday explained it all. The original liver blood reading before the first chemo started was 70, which went down to a healthier 30 before the second chemo session. Sadly the the opposite occurred this week with a spike to 700! This apparently is a sign of an inflamed liver irritated by the chemical gemcitabine so in my session this week I only had the other chemical (cisplatin). Another blood test next week will see how my poor old liver is coping.
Other more interesting things,however, have been going on in the last 2 weeks. Beth and Chrissie visited first, and C came again before going off to the Isle of Skye for Greenpeace boat training. He has been headhunted for another fund raising job, which he is considering. He still has plenty of energy left from his very busy life to mow grass here! He and Beth are keen gardeners in their Walthamstow patch so there is a certain amount of father/son rivalry. Best of all is quality time with each of them to talk and listen.
Phil and family came next when Barney got back from his end of SATS/ end of primary school camp on the Isle of Wight. It was half term so they were able to stay a few days of pretty miserable weather. Still, being into survival techniques, they spent a lot of time making camp in the wood as well as helping Grandpa in the veg garden and enjoying the big old tractor mower. Phil is ace at bureaucracy and form filling in and is coming next week to look after me when Geoff goes to his Newport RI conference. The 'children' feel a break will do him good so have bullied him into it.
Our third lot of visitors brought some really exciting news: an engagement! Si and Ruth are getting married later this year. We are all thrilled. They are very happy together and make a lovely couple. Exact date and kind of wedding to be announced but it will be small, family and two lots of friends. They want something a little offbeat and quirky... Watch this space. We of course celebrated with an excellent meal at a nearby village pub restaurant which specialises in fresh daily seafood from St Mawes. Superb. I must just mention my starter of juicy ripe figs stuffed with goats cheese and wrapped with parma ham. Inspired.
So you see I'm still enjoying eating, though quantity is down. And as it is the Open Garden season we are going to see what other people's gardens are like. Thursday, the day after chemo, I felt fine so we had quite a busy day: voted of course, then went on a Wiltshire Victoria County History jolly to Odstock Manor, near Salisbury, a most interesting old house with a long history still being unravelled, in part from the 16th century with all sorts of changes right up to the present day of a charming tower cupola. We enjoyed the gardens and then were given tea and free range of the whole house and their art collection. Fascinating.
In the evening we went to see a show, part of the Devizes Arts Festival which had rave reviews last year at Edinburgh, 'Austentatious'. As the audience enters the space they are invited to suggest a title for a possible play. From this undoubtedly motley collection, the young company of six choose one on which to improvise... 'Charlotte the Siren of Devizes'.. lots of local and of course Jane Austenish references. Very lively and funny.
A quiet weekend for once for Geoff to prepare his paper and for us visit some local open gardens. I shall have to keep my mouth closed for the week as one of my front teeth, an old crown, broke off, 4 o'clock Friday, classic inconvenient time. As if I didn't have enough to trouble me.. the dentist doesn't have a big enough slot for root canal until next Friday!
Hi Cherry, it is great to hear that you are having some good meals, fun times and support from family. Keep on blogging; we love it!💕❤️💕
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