Day Thirty Two - Beechwood

Part 3 of my 8 day course at Beechwood Cancer Care Centre today. Once again a very relaxing day. Start the morning with a one to one with a trained nurse/counselor, off-load any moans or gripes I have so far, not many. Then a bit of foot massage to relax me further, a spot of lunch, then a relax in the main room, on a magic carpet to a lost lagoon! Lovely. After all that, a talk on Fatigue, which was quite pertinent as that's what I've had for the last week.
I can't sing the praises of the Beechwood and it's brilliant staff enough. They really do make you feel so welcome and relaxed as soon as you walk through the door. If you know anyone suffering from cancer, get them into here if you can.

My dad took me and picked up today. I'm still not quite up to driving as I still had a thick head this morning. Energy levels are increasing though, and I felt ok today climbing stairs and generally walking about. Rather tellingly, my legs have started twitching again, which is a sure sign they are in need of a good walk, which I'll give a go tomorrow. I'm still off coffee, but tea is ok.

I've got a swollen vein on my right arm where the cannula was inserted, and further up my arm has swollen up too. My left arm has developed a strange bruise on the inside of my elbow, which I've no idea where from? I'll have to keep an eye on that.

So, relaxed, bruised, sore veins, energy levels up, sickness down. Going in the right direction I reckon, should be back on the bike by the end of the week :)

Later xx

Day Thirty One - Just Drive

After a lovely breakfast in bed, god I love my wife :), we were up and about around 9 am, ish. Cleaning was on the agenda this morning. So, while Joh got stuck into cleaning the floors, I had a go at a corner of the kitchen. (every little helps)
I gave the cooker a good clean, while Joh blitzed the floor and sofa. Cracking job. Joh then went to the tip, spot of lunch, then it was over the Chinley to give Toby a bit of a break.

Well, more like give me a break from Toby. He's a Golden Retriever, and although he's got a great nature, he's a handful if he's not walked for at least an hour around midday, everyday. Which is fine normally, as I'd do it, or the kids or Joh. But everyone is back to school and work next week, except me, and I'm not up to walking dogs for an hour just yet. I'm struggling walking up stairs at the moment.

So Toby's gone back to his mums in Chinley for a little while. He loves it there, and he's well looked after. We get a break from him, and Ellie loves the peace and quiet for a while. That's Ellie on the right.

Which meant we were driving over roads that I'd normally be cycling. I've not been out properly over that area for a while, bike or otherwise, and it was nice to see the hills once again.
After that, I finally persuaded Joh to drop in on Mark and pick up my birthday/Xmas present, a gorgeous, barely used set of Mavic Ksyrium Elite Wheels for my Cannondale. I've no tyres for them yet, on order, but I fitted them to the bike anyway :) It weighs around 15 lb now, which is pretty light in my book. Nice.

Chinese take away for tea, still no problems eating, all going down fine.
Countryfile on the the telly, glass of white, chemo tablets. Chilling.

Beechwood tomorrow for a foot rub, one to one and an afternoon nap.

Feel ok today, just a nagging mild headache, and a very feint feeling of sickness. I'm actually finding it harder to take the chemo lately, as I know the dose is building inside me, and is actualy making me feel sick.

Night all xx

Day Thirty - walkies!

Well, feeling a bit better today. Dragged my ass out of bed at 09:15, shower and breakfast, chemo tablets then watched tv for a while.
Had a lovely dinner of quiche and salad, with olives and sun-dried tomatoes, and a few walnuts, very nice. Smoothie to finish. Joh was home by 2, so we went for a walk. Well, Joh was walking, I was wheezing along behind. We only went on a short walk, about a mile and a half, but the uphills really knocked me for six, as usual. It really does feel ridiculous getting out of breath on even the shortest climbs, or just anything that needs a bit of effort.
However, my spirits are still up, and I understand I need to rest through this part of my treatment. The way I look at it is that I've done loads of miles in 2012 cycling and running and walking, so taking it easy for a few months wont be such a big deal. It's for the greater good.

Nearly tea time, see you around xx

Day Twenty Nine - All better

Well, the cat and Isaac are, me on the other hand, not so well. Pretty much spent the day in bed. Not sleeping, just no energy to get out and do anything. Still off tea & coffee (sorry Polocini) so just drinking water. Eatings ok, had some Spaghetti cheese for lunch and Joh made a lovely quiche for tea. All going down fine.
Just a complete lack of energy. Walking up stairs is an effort at the moment, which kind of makes all the miles I did last week all the more important I guess.

Off back to bed in a while.

Sleep tight xx

Day Twenty eight - house of ill

I'm the one who's supposed to be sick in this house! Currently though we've also got a sick Isaac and a sick cat!
Stay away from here for a while.
Joh was up at 3:30 am this morning after Isaac did a spot of projectile vomiting on his way from bedroom to toilet. He didn't quite make it. He's spent the day in bed on nothing but water.
The cat puked tonight after eating her tea, down the back of the sofa of all places!
Yuk!
Me, pretty much the same as yesterday. No energy. Headache. Dizzy. Eating ok but having to rest constantly. Just having a shower was a struggle this morning. I really hope my energy levels come back as this is getting frustrating.
Spent most of today in bed again and I'm there now at 20:16 writing this. Tired again.

Night all xx

Day Twenty Seven - Dog day afternoon

It's been a rough one today. Joh's back at work, Paige was at Jamie's and Isaac was having a lie in too. I got up at 10 to have some breakfast so I can have my chemo, Isaac was up a while later to take the dogs out. I stayed up till around one, just so I could have some chicken soup for lunch, then went back to bed feeling very groggy. I'm not off food, but the oily taste is off putting to say the least. I've spent the afternoon in bed just dozing. Perhaps all those miles last week have finally caught up with me. I feel like I've got a blockage in my sinus at the moment as well, so that's not helping. 

Definitely not on my bike so far this week. 

Still, after a shit day, some cracking news with regard to the funds raised for the Beechwood, boosted today by the eBay sale of the Team GB shirt kindly donated by Richard Thomas. This was eventually won by Martin Hickman and the monies have already been donated to the Beechwood. Big thanks to you both, and to everyone else who bid. 

I'd set myself a low target of only £100 when I first started fundraising, which on advice I bumped up to £500 to reflect the 500km I was attempting to do, now we're at over £605 at time of writing this. Once again, thanks to all that have donated over the last few months. 

I keep being told that I'm an inspiration. I don't feel like one to be honest. I'm just a middle aged bloke with a wife and two kids whose got cancer, and is just getting on with beating the shit out of it. Some days are better than others, and I'm having some rough ones this week, but I'm determined to beat this, with your constant support through twitter and Facebook. 

Thankyou one and all xx

Day Twenty Six - Happy New Year (again)

Well, glad that's all over with. Decorations down in the next few days and back to normal thank god. Despite everything though, we've had a nice Christmas and new year at the Wilkinson household. It was certainly a lot better than we expected back at the end of October when I was diagnosed. I really did have nightmares of not being able to eat much over the festive period, but as it happens, the treatment is going well, and I've been able to eat near normally. Nice.

So today, went for a little walk with Joh and the dogs, which was hard work. I mean, I'm easily capable of walking close to 6 miles without breaking a sweat, and struggled today to walk 2 at Joh's pace! :)
Still, my appetite is coming back, as I've eaten near normally today, although still off tea & coffee. I can highly recommend the mushroom soup from Polocini too, it was delicious. This evening we had a table full for dinner, Me, Joh, Paige, Isaac, Kate and Jamie, all eating a lovely meal prepared by Joh, delicious. Thanks darling xx

Feeling a lot better this evening, not taken any anti sickness tablets yet, so I'll put that off till I need to. Hopefully I'm over the worst of this batch of chemo already. Still got the horrible taste in my mouth though, like a constant oiliness, yuk!

Good Night xx