This entertaining interlude of cranial radiotherapy has whizzed by so far, meaning that I have just three sessions remaining. Wow! Pow! I also have a couple of intrathecal (IT) chemotherapy doses to complete this phase, which will be on Wednesday and Wednesday.

Yesterday, too, was Wednesday, and consequently saw me return to St George’s, this time avoiding any reliance on hospital transport by being driven by my generous hostess. As my radiotherapy was at 10am, it was easiest to get me over to Tooting by 11am, in spite of my IT appointment officially not being until 1pm. So I knew I’d have a good couple of hours to wait, but the doctors last week had declared themselves very eager to get it done at 1pm this time. However, 1pm came and went, and rapidly disappeared farther into the past: I eventually had the procedure at 4:15pm. Post-IT, I had a nice lie-down for four hours (to avoid a lumbar puncture headache), so I left at about 8:30pm, a mere nine and a half hours after arriving. Compared to spending 6 weeks in hospital, though, that was nothing.

And in fact the day was brightened considerably in a couple of ways. During my little Intensive Care adventure, Harriet and Freddie passed the time drawing and colouring in flags for a competition on the Ruth Myles Unit (you may remember that the famous Brazil flag went missing, much to our consternation). They wrote my name on the back of all of them, and lo, behold, I won! I’d love to put it down to the supreme colouring-in skills of my siblings, but I think it had more to do with being picked out of a hat… Anyway, we won an MP3 player, which was a very pleasant surprise! Freddie and I are both blessed with iPods, so I think Harriet’s going to get it.

It was also lovely to bump into a couple of patients from the RMU whom I had managed to get to know to some extent during their stays as inpatients. They’re both doing really well, and it was great to catch up and see them on such good form. One is almost my age and had the same illness, though he had a different course of treatment; it’s always encouraging to see people doing well!

Today I had a couple of potential social engagements, but am feeling pretty tired, so have reluctantly decided not to go. It’s probably for the best, but it’s always frustrating to think that I’m missing out, particularly when I don’t even feel very unwell. It’s very easy to feel that it’s a huge sacrifice, so I have to keep reminding myself that there’ll be other parties, dinners and opportunities to do everything I miss out on at the moment. Also, of course, it makes it really special when I do manage to get to an event, such as the OMV get-together last Sunday.

I’ll probably be home tomorrow afternoon, after my radiotherapy, and will then be back up for the final two sessions on Monday and Tuesday. Then I might stay with someone in London (though I’m yet to organise anything) on Tuesday night ready to go to George’s for IT on Wednesday.

7 thoughts on “I r teh winner

  1. HOORAY HOORAH!! HOORAY HOORAH!!
    xx
    ps I know you are trying to be kind to the other flag artists but I KNOW we won out of sheer artistic brilliance?!

  2. Hey Harri, supposedley they’re calling us Van Gogh and Monet on the ward.. That’s what I heard anyway..

  3. Modesty modesty, all is modesty … or something like that!

    I’m glad to hear that the NHS waiting times are as reliable as ever, and even more glad to hear that you had such talented and entertaining company to keep you amused.

    I’m only surprised you haven’t started your own Norton colouring-in factory yet!

    hannah xx

  4. Brill, the flag went missing… maybe into the hat which it was picked out of as the winner… well, maybe! Anyway, glad all is well. Let us know if you are in london… If you are feeling up to it, come to my birthday on Wednesday evening!
    Loads of hugs, Ellie xxx

  5. It would take weeks to colour in a factory Hannah, especially with the wax crayons we were using…

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