2 Month Follow-Up

We went to see the Onc today. All very good news; cancer stable. The fact she's still well 3 months after Chemo is a very good sign & the longer they keep her off Chemo the better (as it means the Chemo has worked very well & opens more options). They'll see her in 3 more months.

I think I've been worrying about this more than I'd realised. I'm so tired now!!!

But very relieved, too :-D

It's Been A Year!!

The 1st anniversary of my sister's admission to hospital, with a suspected "severe penicillin allergy", passed last week. Next week is the 1st anniversary of the 1st time the Big C was mentioned.

On August Bank Holiday - a mere few weeks hence - we'll reach another 1st ... the day they added another C into the mix & we read Cholangiocarcinoma on her Release Form, when I took her home on a 24 hour Pass.

A Year.

She went home on Thursday ... Home to her own flat after more than 10 months here with Laura & me.

I feel weird ...

11 Weeks Post-Chemo

Well, more roller-coaster rides since I last wrote, but she's gradually getting the accumulated poison out of her body & is steadily looking - & feeling - better.

Slowly, slowly, slowly.

We've had some fevers & some nausea, vomiting, sweating & chills, but the progressive improvement is clear.

We saw the Onc for her post-chemo scan results & then for her 6 week follow-up & he was very pleased with her results; peritoneal mets can no longer be seen & the main tumour hasn't grown since the baseline scan. If it starts growing again in the longer term, they'll try this regime again; if in the shorter term, they'll try something else. He made it clear that this chemo is only one option, not the only option.

I like that man ... & I'm very, very proud of my sister.

P.S. - UK Election Day

It's both the General & Local Elections, today. I made sure I went to vote, but it's exhausting trying to save the world on your own, so I'm off to bed now. ;-)

Post-Chemo Scan Day

Scary day.

I couldn't go with her to her scan appointment & she was sure she'd be fine going alone - after all, a scan is, of itself, a mere walk in the park ...

BUT ... there was a man in the waiting area who was on his mobile, describing the size & location of all his secondary tumours - & the short prognosis he'd been given ... & this (understandably) freaked her out!!

When she got back, Laura somehow managed to lodge a claw in the needle hole left from her latest blood-test & this proved to be the final straw - my poor sis just dissolved.

She's massively over-exhausted & is sleeping now.

(Laura hasn't quite recovered from her shock either.)

Tomorrow is another day & I hope they'll both feel better after a good night's sleep.

May Day

Fever's gone!!! :-)

Birthday Week

It was my sister's birthday earlier this week & we went to Charles Worthington to have our hair cut for a birthday treat. We couldn't stay out long, as she's been feeling sick ever since her last chemo & she had to get home to bed.

She wasn't given her usual supply of steroids after her last infusion & the doctor forgot to include any in the emergency prescription the Mac Nurse asked him to provide. I don't know how much the lack of the steroids has affected her, but she's never been too much affected by post-chemo sickness in the past - & certainly not this long afterwards.

It's over a week since her last chemo & today she was very sick & had a fever :-(

LAST CYCLE - LAST DAY (Part 3)

All well. She's home & in bed. Tired, rather pale & a bit wobbly on her legs, but relieved to be back & to have got through this 6 months so well.

Looking back at the Norovirus incident, it's quite hard to remember how ill she was & how much she dreaded continuing with the chemo. It's taken a hell of a lot out of all of us, but we've all survived it.

Scan is 6th May, then Onc's analysis on the 10th.

Fingers crossed!!

LAST CYCLE - LAST DAY (Part 2)

Ooooh ... She's got a Custard Doughnut & a Cherry Danish for us to share!! FAB!!

LAST CYCLE - LAST DAY (Part 1)

Sitting on the 10th floor at Guy's. Bloods taken, tested & approved. Chemo ordered. Sis has gone downstairs to get me a biscuit. (Hope she decides on an Almond Croissant instead). :-D

WOW - IT WORKS!!!

Yay - no stopping me now!!

Off to meet Val from CCF this afternoon ... am getting very excited. (Must make sure I have a good supply of photos of Laura to show her - she's a cat fiend, too, by the sound of it.)

Sis is doing well well today & is DETERMINED nothing will come between her & her last chemo tomorrow.

Fingers crossed for a good day, a good week & a good follow-up scan on the 6th.

Pre-Last-Cycle-Last-Day!!

Just testing that my web-blogger app links to my blog (a) so I can be sure I can update from the Chemo Unit tomorrow & (b) because I still like playing with my new phone ... :-D

Day 1 - Last Cycle

It was damned hard to wake her up this morning, but we got to the hospital just as her bags of Gem/Cis were being delivered. The Chemo Unit is on the 10th floor of the hospital & the sun was pouring through the windows as they set up her cannula & IV.

Another friend is due to visit the Unit this afternoon & will ensure she's okay getting back at the end of today's treatment - so I left her, happily giving encouragement to a little baby girl who was just learning to stand & was attempting to take her first steps.

Now I'm home, I really should get down to prepping for tomorrow's class (I'm teaching at 9am) ... but, as I said, the sun's pouring in the windows & I'd much rather be doing this ... !!

Pre-Cycle 8 Day 1

Tomorrow is day 1 of my sister's last scheduled chemo Cycle. She's doing so very, very well but is feeling rather nauseous tonight. They call it "anticipatory nausea" & it's very well known. She's sleeping now. Goodnight, sis. See you in the morning. xxx

Excited Post-Script

WE DID IT - not only did we reach our goal of 2,500 fans for the CCF Facebook page by the end of March, we exceeded it!! 3,000 fans in one month!! Wheeeeee!! CC now has a massively increased public profile. Thank you to everyone. xx

End of Easter Break

Uh oh, I've gone all quiet again. Have just about pulled myself through my latest rough patch (with help from my lovely sister, mother, friends - thank you all).

Back sooooon!!! xx

CC Awareness Stickers

If you're on Facebook & you want to add a CC Awareness sticker to your profile picture, go to:

http://apps.facebook.com/fribbon/group.php?gid=5533&refer=pp

(There are 3 CC stickers to choose from - if you'd like to use a different one, click on "Find a Sticker" along the top & type "Cholangiocarcinoma" in the search box)

If you want a "physical" sticker, you can get one from CC Foundation's online store:

http://www.cafepress.com/cc_foundation/

Thank you - I look forward to seeing even more CC stickers on Facebook profiles & car bumpers!! :o) :o) :o)

Cycle 6 - Day 19

We're on the train, heading back from the hospital. The Onc is pleased & has booked her in for Chemo Cycle 7.

All going well. Phew!!

Spring's Arrived - & Marking's Finished!!!

I've had my head down, marking like fury, for weeks - but it's done now. All that's left to do is seal the boxes & call the courier to collect.

YAY!! :-D

I've finally managed to wrench myself away from the CCF Fan Page on Facebook, too ... I can't believe the rate at which fans are piling on there - it's BRILLIANT!! 61 new people joined whilst I was asleep last night (& 51 the night before) - PLUS those who join during the day. Of course, fans are arriving from all over the world - so we're all in different time zones - which adds to the excitement of it all.

We've nearly reached our initial 2,500 goal & it's showing no sign of slowing down. Fan-Tas-Tic!!!

We're off to see the Onc this afternoon, for her pre-Cycle 7 assessment. 2 Cycles to go. 4 more chemo days in all.

She's had so much energy since she recovered from the Norovirus that we're really optimistic that the treatment's really working!!! Fingers remain firmly crossed.

Kris, from CCF, is in surgery at the moment in Sweden. All my VERY, VERY best wishes to you, Kris. I'm sending LOADS of positive thoughts & hugs & good vibes to you & your family for a spectacularly successful outcome.

CCF has a Facebook Fan Page!!

If you're on Facebook, please come & join us by becoming a Fan!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Cholangiocarcinoma-Foundation/332378771195?ref=ts

See you there!! :-D