Causing trouble again!!

Andrew & Me at Scarborough, July 2009.

The things I do to get attention.
Well I decided to visit friends in the sunny region of Costa-del-Scarborough with the lovely David (he was not hanging around with Mum though, had `cooler`friends to see). Saw the sea, had scampi and chips (Oasis bar on the North side - it is a legend), played with Shaki (the dog), etc... But started to get more breathless towards the end of the weekend; and could not walk more than 100 yrds by the end without wheezing. Felt very anxious in my in bed on the Sunday night; as all I could hear was my own wheezy sound! So rang my local GP to make an appointment for my return on the Monday (why are Doctors receptionists impossible to talk to???), anyway managed to get an appointment for 4.30pm with the dutie doctor. Tried not to panic Mandy (who we where staying with - but needed to get home), or David about how bad I really felt and was worried about making the car journey home.
Thankfully we got home in time to make the 4.30pm appointment - listened to my chest, took temp and blood pressure and declared that he could not make a decision about whether to admit me to hospital until he had contacted my Oncologist team (oh that was helpful then!!!). But said that he would advise me to go home and rest and he would phone me shortly. Later I was advised to go straight to the Oncology ward for assessment - oh and yes I was admitted. Wheezy, breathless and a temp of 37.5 - advised to rest, take antibiotics (which were huge!!), and a nebuliser 4 times a day. The lower bronchus tumour combined with asthma (tumour irritating this condition), was clearly causing me problems. So poor Andrew came home from work that day to greet the lovely me; followed by "you have to take me to hospital".
Originally they suspected a pulmonary embolism, but after two days of tests they ruled that out and I finally escaped the madness of an NHS hospital ward. I have to say that there were approx 4 - 5 nurses on each shift, working on a 28 bedded busy Oncology ward. Who felt very frustrated at times that they did not have a moment to spend time with patients. Remember everyone on that ward was facing cancer and emotionally vulnerable - thankfully the ladies in my bay tried to have a joke.

I was due to go down to the Brompton on the 16th August to have a bronchoscopy to see whether they could relive/remove some on the tumour in the lower bronchus. But obviously with a possible infection in the lungs this has been cancelled. I have to confess that I am both disappointed and frightened that this has happened - why? Because the wheeze, breathlessness has been getting worse over the last few months and breathing is a vital part of life (excuse my humour). At the moment (1 week after discharge), I am starting to be able to go up the stairs without problems and am not coughing as much. But the distance I can walk is still limited; or the activities that I can do before it affects my breathing is limited. Who knows what the future holds? But on the other hand do I really want to know too much about what may or may not happen.

Kids now officially call me a `drugy` and whilst on my nebuliser I am "smoking the dragon", well at least it make us laugh.

Love to you all and I hope to be drinking wine and partying soon.

K XXXX