Wednesday, 21st May

So here we are, Wednesday already and we are at the end of the first cycle of chemotherapy which means we have Friday off.

Chemo went well yesterday.  It was our first night of sleeping back in our bed and Jimmy slept through again.  We ended up leaving later as we cuddled in bed and only got up at 8am. Before I couldn't even lean forward to give Jimmy a kiss because his back was so sore and his body would go into spasm. We left at 8:45am, the traffic was much lighter so it only took us 35 minutes to get through to UCTPAH.  There were 5 other patients on a Tuesday cycle and it was very nice to meet them all.  A bit like an AA meeting (not that I have ever been to one) and we will see the same people each Tuesday while they are being treated.  It was great chatting to them.  Amazing how you meet different people from all different walks of life with one common factor, Cancer.  There is even a couple there from Kirkwood who are renting accommodation in Cape Town so that he can have his treatment.  So far we have only met one other patient who also has Multiple Myeloma.  It's like having a tea parting and talking about gardening expect here we all ask each other about their cancer and what side effects they have etc.  Nothing awkward about it and not at all depressing, in fact it's quite positive and who better to talk to than someone else who is going through the same thing with lots of experience. It's also wonderful meeting their partners knowing that they have something in common with me.

Still no side effects from chemo but I must say they are very good about preventing a symptom rather than trying to treat it afterwards.  Jimmy has two huge syringes of anti-nausea medication before they inject the chemo into the line and he is on permanent anti-nausea tablets 3 times a day.  Sleeping through has made such a difference to his day too.  He has been doing some work from home and watching movies and lots of sport.

So, no chemo this Friday as we are in our week off and then on Monday we see Prof which will be a standard appointment being the first day prior to the beginning of the next cycle.  We are going to have a chat to him about some radium treatment for Jimmy's back to try and alleviate his pain.  This is still a huge bugbear.  He did mention something about this at our very first meeting with him so can't really remember what can be done but from what I understand and remember the radium will kill the cancer tumour at the spot of the broken vertebra which is L2 and this will take away his pain which is due to the tumour.  We hold thumbs that Prof is keen to do this.

The big excitement yesterday and the reason why I didn't blog last night was because our supadupa new, remote controlled, adjustable, king size bed was delivered.  Never bind business class lazy boys, this thing is out of this world.  We stopped in at Woollies on our way home from treatment yesterday to buy some bedding in anticipation of the bed's delivery yesterday evening.  It looks like spaghetti junction under the bed because there are so many plugs and cables.  It is basically a box with 2 slatted beds that lie inside this.  Two  mattresses fit on top of the slats.  Each side works independently of the other and each side also has 2 remote controls; one for manoeuvring the bed and the other one for different pulse and wave vibrations of the mattress.  The head of the bed can move up and down and so can the foot of the bed and then there is a third button to move the head and foot of the bed up and down simultaneously.  It's very smooth so no jerking which would be a problem for Jimmy's back and very quiet. It works like a bomb as Jimmy is able to move positions by changing the angle of the mattress without having to move himself.

Our 'supacalafragelisticexpialidotious' bed

I'm very excited about today being Wednesday as all my chickens will be home for the night.  Looking forward to a busy home and catching up on all their school and sport news.

My blessings today are Ewen, my father-in-law, who has become my resident handyman.  He has fitted a plug to our scullery for the ice machine and put together my flat pack (thanks Kate for the terminology) pigeon hole filing cabinet for my office.  To Mark, Pietie and Joseph from Komatsu who came around last evening to deliver the bed and set it up on this side and to Rohan and Patsy for a delicious savoury tart.  And then there is a big blessing that I think about allot and this is that Jimmy is so much better, thank you for all your prayers.

I have a favour to ask; Please could you all keep in mind a friend of ours who has Prostrate Cancer.  He is almost finished his radium treatment but the last 2 days have not been very good and it is all taking it's toll, specially on his wife who is juggling work, treatment and family.