Important note to self. When taking the drugs that the hospital supply, it's always a good idea to reread the instructions, especially if it's more than a few days since the last dose. This is particularly useful if the drug in question is a steroid-based anti-nausea drug, intended to be taken the day before chemo starts, and the instructions say "take twice daily, the second dose to be taken before 4pm".
If you don't read the instructions you forget, and take them just before bed. The inevitable consequences of that include a very restless night, the finishing off of the library book and in this case, sitting posting to the blog as the clock on the stairs chimes for 4.30am... I tried reading, I tried meditation (which is usually pretty reliable, I have a particular routine for deep relaxation to get me to a sleepy state), I tried a glass of wine, I tried planning the layout of the garden (which is usually instantly successful!) - nothing. Just lying there wide-awake. So I have given up, on the basis that by 6am the steroid levels should have settled and I might stand a chance, if I can get off to sleep I can get a few hours in before I have to head for the chemo clinic. Not sure when I will get to take the morning dose, though! I will sit here for a bit, until I have demolished a glass of sloe gin at least.
I have to admit my mind has been a bit disturbed anyway - I have been thinking about a guy I know who lives in the US who will be having a heart valve replaced in a few hours time. He's already had the valve he was born with replaced once, but the artificial valve fitted then wasn't big enough, so he has had severe problems ever since, and now he is having a bigger one installed, and some other repairs to boot. There was a great deal of damage done by an infection some years ago, the source of all his pain (which has almost killed him on at least one occasion) was an infected tooth. It seems strange that something so everyday can be so dangerous and potentially lethal, but it does focus the mind on the dental hygiene! His surgeon is confident that the op will improve his life a great deal, but he's not been a well man and such procedures are never without risk, so I have been worrying. He's anxious about it all, but he's a Christian and his faith is giving him strength, which is good. Anyway, he's hopefully getting some rest before he goes down for surgery in about 6 hours from now, which will be 5am in his world. Be well, M, my thoughts are with you and I look forward to hearing from you very soon.
I toddled off to the hospital to have my blood sample taken this morning - odd that that little routine is coming to an end. I confessed to my upset tum and surprisingly got no telling off for not ringing in. We agreed that it seemed that my immune system had sorted it out all on its own, so that was fine, and the lab would report any sign of infection they found in the bloods. And if there is any recurrence today I must tell the nurses before I have the chemo! All has been well so far today - the Sunday breakfast having three scrambled eggs in it seems to have done the trick! And it was very nice too, I haven't been allowing myself eggs since I became painfully aware of just how "binding" they are!
Mmmm, the sloe gin is good - this is from two years ago, I didn't make any last year despite a bumper haul of sloes which have been taking up space in the freezer. I made up four bottles' worth a couple of weeks back so we will have plenty for the winter. On an impulse I went for a walk down by the river after I came back from the hospital and found that there was a clump of fine blackthorn all covered with sloes, so I grabbed a fair few... what I really wanted was blackberries, but the haul of those was pitiful, the brambles all dried up and finished - well, it IS mid-October so that's hardly surprising. Loads of rose hips but I ain't picking them without gloves this time - learnt from the last effort, but will have to go back as a few bottles of rose hip syrup would be handy extra vitamin C for the winter.
Right, time to stop rambling. Maybe the arms of Morpheus do await me after all, perhaps because it's not too long to sunup, or perhaps because of the sloe gin. Who cares?
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