The First Session Is Over...
The first visit for the planning of what they'll do and RT is over.
The staff made what could be a frightening experience exactly the opposite. Everyone was friendly. There was quite a bit of waiting but what they did went well. Mum's plan was arranged by the Oncologist that we saw a few weeks ago and arranged that I could accompany her there and back to the hospital.
I was in on all the talks with Mum and at the end of the first session I was allowed into the room where all the equipment was. As I was present they took some swabs(on little cotton bud sticks)from Mum's nose and I think her nether regions(and I think I heard the term MRSI)so I hope they don't show up anything nasty...It was the end of the session and the transport was waiting so I didn't ask what that was for...
Perhaps I will tomorrow...
Update:Its some kind of check to see if people being treated are carrying those infections that sometimes cause problems for pateints in hospital after they've had a stay/operation.
Whilst at the hospital I found some publications from the charity "MacMillan Nurses" and though cancer isn't a fun subject they are written in an informative, unfrightening way and cover so many different aspects of what it is, what care is available but aspects I would never have thought of.
I have seen that RT can and does often kill cancer or it can if successful at reducing the size of a tumour surgery might be considered but such courses last 5-8 weeks. But as Mum is only being given 5 sessions it is obviously beeing done to improve Mum's life and make her comfortable but as a pallative measure again not to get rid of it but again if Mum proves to be not so weak, could that be considered?
Mum is talking of not going tomorrow but I am sure that she will...Its the early hour we have to go and...Mum doesn't enjoy the journey there and back.
At least tonight the transport to get us home was waiting for us immediately.
Tomorrow we have to be there for 10.30am but the last three days we have to be there for 9.35am(I've still suggested a partial stay over at that hotel...)Possibly on the earliest days of the treatment, I think that she may still say no but the suggestion actually came from Mum herself.
It does mean we'll probably be leaving here even earlier 7.30am-8am. But maybe if Mum is home quite soon afterwards she has ages to prepare/rest until the next session. I think it will be quicker from now on.
The last day of two I have been liquidising vegetable soups so Mum gets the goodness but doesn't have problems eating the chunks of vegetables many soups have...
And get this Mum said that she would never ever eat porridge(probably remembering how it was made in the days when she was a child...probably with water and very thick...but I persuaded her to try some of the new kinds available and she enjoyed it and has asked for another so maybe I could think of this for breakfast before she has her next treatment.
The staff made what could be a frightening experience exactly the opposite. Everyone was friendly. There was quite a bit of waiting but what they did went well. Mum's plan was arranged by the Oncologist that we saw a few weeks ago and arranged that I could accompany her there and back to the hospital.
I was in on all the talks with Mum and at the end of the first session I was allowed into the room where all the equipment was. As I was present they took some swabs(on little cotton bud sticks)from Mum's nose and I think her nether regions(and I think I heard the term MRSI)so I hope they don't show up anything nasty...It was the end of the session and the transport was waiting so I didn't ask what that was for...
Perhaps I will tomorrow...
Update:Its some kind of check to see if people being treated are carrying those infections that sometimes cause problems for pateints in hospital after they've had a stay/operation.
Whilst at the hospital I found some publications from the charity "MacMillan Nurses" and though cancer isn't a fun subject they are written in an informative, unfrightening way and cover so many different aspects of what it is, what care is available but aspects I would never have thought of.
I have seen that RT can and does often kill cancer or it can if successful at reducing the size of a tumour surgery might be considered but such courses last 5-8 weeks. But as Mum is only being given 5 sessions it is obviously beeing done to improve Mum's life and make her comfortable but as a pallative measure again not to get rid of it but again if Mum proves to be not so weak, could that be considered?
Mum is talking of not going tomorrow but I am sure that she will...Its the early hour we have to go and...Mum doesn't enjoy the journey there and back.
At least tonight the transport to get us home was waiting for us immediately.
Tomorrow we have to be there for 10.30am but the last three days we have to be there for 9.35am(I've still suggested a partial stay over at that hotel...)Possibly on the earliest days of the treatment, I think that she may still say no but the suggestion actually came from Mum herself.
It does mean we'll probably be leaving here even earlier 7.30am-8am. But maybe if Mum is home quite soon afterwards she has ages to prepare/rest until the next session. I think it will be quicker from now on.
The last day of two I have been liquidising vegetable soups so Mum gets the goodness but doesn't have problems eating the chunks of vegetables many soups have...
And get this Mum said that she would never ever eat porridge(probably remembering how it was made in the days when she was a child...probably with water and very thick...but I persuaded her to try some of the new kinds available and she enjoyed it and has asked for another so maybe I could think of this for breakfast before she has her next treatment.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 8:21 pm
4 Comments:
Well done, the pair of you!
Good news about the porridge. I love it sprinkled with brown sugar. Very tasty.
Good luck for tomorrow.
Thanks VQ,
Mum is talking of returning and having the next session...so that's something.
The Oncologist came down and saw her whilst the scan wasbeing done and she was being marked up with a pen for where the x-rays would be directed.
They might come off when she washes but she has some permenant marks(very tiny)they can use any time to match the machine with her body.
I also found some publications from the charity "MacMillan Nurses" and though cancer isn't a fun subject they are written in an informative, unfrightening way and cover so many different aspects of what it is, what care is available but aspects I would never have thought of.
Yes, I thought about having to sweeten the porridge and was thinking of brown sugar, remarkably she had it without but I think some of the fruit included did that.
There is so much variety these days.
It always used to Scot's porridge oats for us or a basic supermarket brand but I have a carrier bag full of Quaker Oats, Alpen(they've brought some out)Scott's porridge so she can have quite a variety. I've starting eating it again...
Mum always liked a cod liver capsule, I now have persuaded her to have a garlic capsule, a cranberry capsule and one that contains all the goodness of tomatoes(which they say is good to avoid/control cancer)and this is the same as eating 6 large tomatoes...
You're an absolute marvel, Gildy.
A real inspiration.
The NHS cannot revole around one person but as I sit here having had a restless night trying to be sure we did not oversleep and miss the transport to the next session of RT.
I realise that having to travel in and be ready at least two hours before the appointment and the trip can take over an hour and it be so early for someone like Mum a little later in the day would be kinder.
The original series of appointments was more humane, afternoons.
I think getting there and home is taking more out of Mum than the treatment itself.
I think I'll still be coming home daily but I may still try and stay at the hotel tomorrow and thursday that would save rising even earlier(no traveling)that's only two nights and the last day would just be the hotel to the hospital and then back home.
But don't hold your breath.
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