The last week has been dominated by family matters and some side effects of the drug trial...
Our trip to Bristol to visit Steve's mum after her health took a turn for the worse last weekend turned into an urgent search to find her a specialist nursing home as she now needs constant care. Luckily, one such home nearby had vacancies. We were able to visit to check it out while we were in Bristol. Over lunch with Steve's brother also visiting on the same day, a decision was made and she was transferred to the new nursing home on Friday. Quite a relief for all concerned...
On a much more enjoyable note, daughter Katie and partner Ed have been staying with us for the weekend. Always lovely to have family visiting: an incentive to tidy up the house; a welcome distraction from clinical trials and care homes; a good reason to go out for a meal, as well as a chance to catch up on each others news face-to-face and show off the "new" garden, which met with approval. Another relief!
Week 3 of the clinical trial and more side effects are becoming apparent. The gurgling stomach continues, usually associated with an uncomfortable bloated feeling and gas. As over-the-counter digestive medicines (Gaviscon and Bisodol) are not proving to be very effective, we will now try some alternative approaches to dealing with this side effect... and see what the doctor says at the next appointment on Tuesday.
The other side effect is hair loss, which has only become noticeable over the last couple of days. It's not falling out in handfuls, but strands come out easily if Steve runs his fingers through his hair. Stray hairs are appearing on the pillow and in the bathroom (and are probably present in less visible nooks and crannies). The upside of this side effect is that Steve doesn't have to shave very often....
The pimples which appeared on Steve's neck and face - in amongst the whiskers - are still there, but do not appear to have got any worse. Which is a relief.
Tiredness continues. The best time to do anything is in the morning, when he's still fresh from a night's sleep. Later in the day, Steve is liable to drop off in his chair, or take himself off to bed for a nap.
That said, at present the side effects are manageable and liveable with. Here's hoping it stays that way. And that the trial drug is also slowing down, or preferably halting, the cancer growth. Still early days...the scan doesn't happen until cycle 2, about six weeks into the trial. I imagine that whether Steve continues on to cycle 3 in late November will be determined by the results of that scan. That's still a long way off, so no point in getting wound up about it now....
Where ever you are, whatever you are doing, have a good week...especially the meso warriors around the world x
Our trip to Bristol to visit Steve's mum after her health took a turn for the worse last weekend turned into an urgent search to find her a specialist nursing home as she now needs constant care. Luckily, one such home nearby had vacancies. We were able to visit to check it out while we were in Bristol. Over lunch with Steve's brother also visiting on the same day, a decision was made and she was transferred to the new nursing home on Friday. Quite a relief for all concerned...
On a much more enjoyable note, daughter Katie and partner Ed have been staying with us for the weekend. Always lovely to have family visiting: an incentive to tidy up the house; a welcome distraction from clinical trials and care homes; a good reason to go out for a meal, as well as a chance to catch up on each others news face-to-face and show off the "new" garden, which met with approval. Another relief!
Week 3 of the clinical trial and more side effects are becoming apparent. The gurgling stomach continues, usually associated with an uncomfortable bloated feeling and gas. As over-the-counter digestive medicines (Gaviscon and Bisodol) are not proving to be very effective, we will now try some alternative approaches to dealing with this side effect... and see what the doctor says at the next appointment on Tuesday.
The other side effect is hair loss, which has only become noticeable over the last couple of days. It's not falling out in handfuls, but strands come out easily if Steve runs his fingers through his hair. Stray hairs are appearing on the pillow and in the bathroom (and are probably present in less visible nooks and crannies). The upside of this side effect is that Steve doesn't have to shave very often....
The pimples which appeared on Steve's neck and face - in amongst the whiskers - are still there, but do not appear to have got any worse. Which is a relief.
Tiredness continues. The best time to do anything is in the morning, when he's still fresh from a night's sleep. Later in the day, Steve is liable to drop off in his chair, or take himself off to bed for a nap.
That said, at present the side effects are manageable and liveable with. Here's hoping it stays that way. And that the trial drug is also slowing down, or preferably halting, the cancer growth. Still early days...the scan doesn't happen until cycle 2, about six weeks into the trial. I imagine that whether Steve continues on to cycle 3 in late November will be determined by the results of that scan. That's still a long way off, so no point in getting wound up about it now....
Where ever you are, whatever you are doing, have a good week...especially the meso warriors around the world x
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