Library fever

Well, this morning I was mostly reading the John Le Carré novel that I had hidden in the bottom drawer for emergencies...
I woke up this morning in real pain - I felt as though I had been stabbed in the shoulder, which I suppose isn't that far from the truth! Some poor innocent came in to ask if they could take my blood pressure and was very nearly bitten for her pains... I could barely think, and the idea of being messed with was most unwelcome. However, once I had remembered that I needed to breathe as well as whimper and swear I managed to roll onto my back and submit to the various prods and squeezes required to determine that I am still alive... Fortunately the process of "doing the obs" was swiftly followed by the much more helpful process of "dishing out the drugs". This had two beneficial effects - to swallow the pills I did have to sit up, which actually proved to be more comfortable than lying down, and the cocktail of assorted painkillers which was supplied did promise to kick the pants of whatever was making me feel so rotten.

The Great Man and Sidekick came to visit at just after 8am - I don't know when these guys have any time for a personal life, or sleep, they seem to be here all the time, including all over the weekend... The drain was prodded, the boob was poked and much murmuring took place. It seems that the odd bit of skin on my boob which isn't covered in a dressing is a little pink and maybe a bit warm - so rather than wait for an infection to develop to a point where it's obvious, they decided that I should start some antibiotics just in case... seeing as how my immune system has been battered to heck by the chemo over the last few months, it doesn't seem like a bad idea.

I decided I was going to start asking questions this morning - I haven't really had the energy in my brain for the last few days, and there have been a few people coming in to talk at me when I haven't really grasped what they have said. It shows that I do need DH to be with me all the time, he listens and absorbs the stuff when my brain can't produce a more sensible response than "meh"...
I've been reading another blog, by the astonishing Lisa Lynch, who hasn't just had to deal with a simple dose of breast cancer, she's found that she has the ba&tard gene which gives her and family a hugely increased chance of both breast and ovarian cancer. She's gone on to have her remaining breast and her ovaries removed to try to prevent any further problems - all at the tender age of 30! Her blog is brilliant, I won't use the soppy words like "inspiring" - suffice to say that I have found many of her experiences to be painfully familiar and have laughed and shuddered in equal measure. If you go to look, be aware that she is a bit prone to the use of language that might offend... but even her Dad seems to have got over worrying about it now!
I have a daughter and a niece, and there are four little girls in the generation after that, so the possible presence of that ba&tard gene is a bit of a worry. So I asked the Great Man about BRCA-2 screening... The NHS won't screen anyone who doesn't meet certain criteria - and that generally means having two or more close relatives with breast or ovarian cancer, or having breast cancer which was diagnosed before age 30 or so. I don't meet those criteria. My sister died when she was in her twenties, so we can't say what might or might have happened to her, but my Mum lived to 80 and the cancer that got her was from smoking. Both my Grandmothers lived to a ripe old age, and I have never heard any reports of cancer from the various aunts and cousins on either Mum's or Dad's side. So on the whole I have to agree that it seems likely that my cancer was a "sporadic" case and that the next generation aren't likely to be at any increased risk. And while financial aspects are the least concern in situations like this, the test costs about two grand, so I can see why the test is only done where there is evidence of a family history.

I have done a bit more research about the new painkillers that the nice pain-specialist/anaesthetist gentleman prescribed. The Great Man was talking about them this morning, and when I commented that they hadn't made much difference he said that they take about four or five days to start working... Now it's not like me to take a pill before I have googled it, but as I said my resistance is pretty low at the moment and I would swallow rabbit droppings if someone carrying a stethoscope handed them to me in a small paper cup. However, I did the due diligence bit today and discovered that Pregabalin is indeed used to treat epilepsy, but has shown great results in the treatment of "neuropathic pain" - and since I have a great deal of numbness and tenderness in the area of my arm and back near to where the various incisions were made, it sounds like it could well be just what I need. Interestingly, it seems to have been used with some success in the treatment of Fibromyalgia, so there is someone in my family to whom I will be speaking upon the matter quite soon... Anyway, I will keep taking the tablets and see how things go over the next few days.

Can you tell I have worked out how to put hyperlinks in my blog now?

It's been a longish day. DH arrived mid-afternoon with a huge pile of library books, enough to keep even me occupied for a couple of days at least - including one which I had already got out last week but had forgotten about. He'd also spoken to our super neighbour, who turned up this evening with a bag of books for me - she also happens to be a nurse on a stroke unit and understands how normally placid people can go completely loopy when trapped in a hospital with no reading matter and only the telly showing Dead-Enders, the X-Factor and the barrage of reporting about Royal Weddings.
On that subject - I wouldn't volunteer to be Queen Catherine, the last three didn't do very well - Katherine of Aragon married the older brother, he died so she married the younger brother Prince Henry who became King Henry VIII, but was set aside for Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard lost her head after getting caught playing around and Catherine Parr had a narrow escape when she was found to be reading subversive literature... Hmmm... we shall have to watch out in case history starts to repeat itself... I wish the girl the best of luck, she will need it!