October 4th - Radioactive???

I waited patiently for Sue to arrived on Tuesday 4th I had to be at hospital at ten am to see Dr Jagdev followed by a lovely bone  scan.
"I'm lost" Sue wailed down the phone.
"Describe where you are??"
"There's a school on my left"
"Whats it called??"
"They're wearing red jumpers I'm on Southdale Road" 
"Okay I know where you are are you facing down hill or up hill?"
"Downhill"
"Okay go to the bottom of the hill and turn right"
"Okay I'm just trying to get out of the junction... right now what?"
"You will pass a pub on your left called the thorntree.."
"Yep."
"Okay left after Wakefield bathrooms"
"Yep okay I'm there" she replied after a pause.
"Okay follow the road to the top of the hill second right headlands grove see you soon".


"Hi" I waved to the clinical nurse Louise as we got onto outpatients. She smiled and came over.
"How you doing?"
"I'm fine thanks"
"How was the holiday?"
"Wonderful" I grinned and held out my hand so she could see my ring. 
"Oh Loraine its beautiful" 
"Thanks" I smiled.
"So did he go down on one knee and everything?"  I nodded and told her how Lee had gotten down on one knee in front of all the bar.
"Oh I'm so pleased for you" she smiled.
"I've got a bone scan at half past should i go there and come back to clinic?" I asked her.
"Well lets do your height and weight first then you may as well go and get your injection and then come back"
"Okay". 
"Not too bad you've lost another three pounds, is it becoming a problem?"
"Nope loosing weight is the good bit... have to fit in that dress" I told her grinning. "Right come on missy moo radioactive time" I laughed and we headed for nuclear medicine.


"Sorry" the nurse grimaced.  "One more attempt" I nodded. She was trying to find a vein I knew it would be an issue since surgery last year and ten weeks of pain medication later I didn't have any veins left at all.  "I'm gonna try your wrist but it may hurt" I smiled and nodded okay...  It did hurt.. I nearly hit the ceiling in all honesty... but it worked she got the radioactive stuff into my vein... "Right you need to come back at 1.30 for us to do the bone scan, okay? In the meantime no contact with pregnant ladies or small children for the next five hours"
"Okay. See you at one thirty then". 


Next it was my appointment with Dr Jagdev... I haven't seen her before. Prior to this I saw Dr Collinson but she's moved on now its Dr Jagdev. She seems okay but when she asked if I had any concerns once again I said I was concerned about Chemo and them finding a vein. 
"They struggled with that radioactive stuff it took five attempts" I explained.
"Oncology are very good at finding veins trust me it won't be a problem. If it is they can always put in a permanent line above your chest bone and they can give you chemo and take bloods from you that way"
"Okay well that's probably the way to go" I told her.
"So anymore pain?"
"My left kidney"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes after all the reflux's i had as a kid I know its my left kidney its really sore"
"Mind if i examine you?"
"No that's fine" I smiled.
I laid on the couch and she felt around my right side then around my left...
"Ouch"
"Okay you are very tender there. I think we'll get a urine sample and just as a precaution we'll give you some antibiotics and do an ultrasound"
"Okay,"
"We'll send you for more bloods too"
"Okay" I nodded. "So if you go have your bone scan and then go to ultrasound for a kidney scan if there's any problems we'll keep you in...if not you're free to go I'll give you a prescription for pharmacy."
"So i might have to stay in"
"Only if there's a problem on the left. If not then you'll come back for the renal function test on Thursday then pre-assessment Monday and start treatment Tuesday"
"Okay thanks". I came out in  a bit of a daze about what was happening first but Sue put me straight.
"I'll go to pharmacy, you go get your bloods done and I'll see you in the blood room".
"Okay see you in a bit then".


It took two attempts for blood on this occasion, she was good!! Hardly felt a thing!! By the time we'd been downstairs to the canteen for a coffee and a snack it was time to go back for my bone scan.


Why is it when someone tells you you have to lie still you suddenly develop an itch.....a big itch.... I laid there and apologised... 
"Sorry I'm gonna have to ..." I apologised.
"Its okay scratch now then we can begin" she told me. I'd taken some oramorph the problem with oramorph is it makes you itch and now I needed to lie still I felt like someone had sprayed me with itching powder!!
"Right okay.. now I'm ready" I announced and lay still. I remembered the breathing my hypnotherapist Jacqui had taught me to get me relaxed.... the next minute she was waking me up... I'd fallen asleep during my bone scan.... ah well at least I don't move in my sleep eh??


Next it was radiology for my ultrasound. It was now knocking on for two thirty when we sat down. I was knackered. 
"I think there's been a mix up Miss Mooney you were due down here for your ultrasound before lunch"
"You're joking?"
"No, was there any reason you weren't here?"
"I was having my bone scan" I told the nurse. "I was told to go get my bloods done have my bone scan and then down here for an ultrasound in case i needed to be kept in".
"Well I'm afraid it will be when we can fit you in now"... I sighed I was knackered we'd been here since nine thirty and it was now after two thirty....
"You're joking we've been here since nine thirty, Loraine's got terminal cancer.... she's knackered" Sue piped up....
"We'll see what we can do". Ten minutes later a doctor showed me into an ultrasound room for my scan to commence... Sue comes in very handy sometimes... she is loud thank goodness lol.
"So you've been getting pain in your left kidney"
"Yes its been really bad"
"What about the right?"
"No that's been fine" I told her.
"Okay lie down lower your trousers lift up your top and I'll squirt you with some warm jelly before we begin".
"Okay thanks" I laid on that bed and prayed for a break.
"Well I can't see anything at all in forms of lumps or shadows Loraine so i'm pretty certain there is no cancer in your kidney but obviously its not one hundred percent accurate. Your kidney on the left is pretty dilated though"
"Ah, well its always been bigger than the right more swollen etc" I told her.  "I have no idea why but it has been".
"Right well the antibiotics should help if there is any infection there but I'm happy for you to go".
"Nice one, thanks" I jumped off the bed beaming and went out to the waiting area, which now was pretty crowded. "Good news the cancer is not in my kidneys yet!" I yelled and clapped. Sue laughed and looked round at the other four people sat there and they cheered on my behalf.  "I get to live another day Sue lets get out of here eh?"
"Your wish is granted." she laughed. "Bye all" we smiled and left.


However, I am still dreading chemo I just know they won't find a vein!!!