30.6.14

A full day.
I was expecting to have lunch with Linda and then pre chemo bloods at 2pm at the Harbour Hospital and home again.
But no.......
I was contacted by the CT scan department to arrange a CT scan to check for Pulmonary embolism. Was this gonna be the scan where they froth up some saline and inject it into me??? I was hoping not, and someone was smiling down on me, just for a change.
It was just a normal CT scan, and I've had a few of them already so i know I'm ok with them.
This afternoon? 2.30? Harbour Hospital? It all fits.
Best get it over and done with.
I was told i should be nil by mouth.
'Im just off out for lunch!' i complained.
'Oh ok just a light lunch then!!!'
Thats not right. They tell you to be nil by mouth and you don't actually have to be. It was cos it was a chest scan, not stomach or full body.
So Linda and I set off for Bistro on the Beach. We've never been there before so we were looking forward to it. Found the carpark, parked, paid for the ticket and walked down the hill towards the beach.
It was shut on a monday!!!
Walked back up the hill, huffing and puffing like Serena Williams on centre court. I liken myself to Serena cos of the similarity between us!!!
So we went to Cafe Riva a little further on.
I asked about the lunch time specials.
'Oh we can't tell you that till 12.'
I asked what the time is.
'5 to 12!'
We sat at a table and waited for 5 minutes. In that time the same lady put the lunchtime menus on the tables, all of the tables......... except ours. She even looked at us and smiled. Linda asked if we could have a menu.
'Of course,' she said as if Linda had asked her a stupid question.
We decided on ham and brie panini and goats cheese and red onion relish panini and i went up to the counter to order our lunch. They came with chips or salad. We decided to have half of each panini and one with chips and one with salad and share that too. I explained this to the lady and she asked, which one do you want chips with, and what with the other one????
I explained in a very simple fashion. 'Where are you sitting?' she asked.  She'd just given us the menu at our table. Im sure she doesn't do crosswords in her lunch break!
I doubt we will visit again.
Then off to the hospital. The drinks are free in the Harbour hospital and the hot chocolate is very nice, so we always manage to enjoy this whilst waiting for Kelly, my very own phlebotomist, to call my name. Bloods taken uneventfully and then a walk round to the scan department.
They're all so friendly there. I pointed out i had a chest CT 2 weeks ago and what was the difference between that and the one i was about to have. He decided he would check with the radiographer if i needed it.
Oooh i was so hopeful it was gonna be a waste of time and id be sent home. I crossed my fingers and said three hail Mary's, but just my luck, it was decided i still needed it.
I was taken into the changing room to remove anything metal in the chest area (bra, or shrapnel). Then i was carefully arranged on the table and a cannula inserted into the same hole made by the phlebotomist 5 minutes earlier.
I was talked through the procedure.
Dye injected, inserted into the polo, 'hold your breath', and thats it.
As described. The dye was injected and i felt like id swallowed some aluminium foil, and like id just wet myself. I didn't i might add! The bed moved into the polo and the whirring began. Then the robotic 'hold your breath, breath on'. And that was it. Almost not worth doing! It actually took about 2 minutes. More time spent preparing me!
I should get the results tomorrow when i see Dr Jack.
Either I've had a clot on the lung and they then do some investigations to find out why, or i haven't so they continue to investigate why I'm short of breath. Either way...... more cannulas.
I don't have an issue with cannulas. I don't wince, or cry. But id rather not have any more. Ive had about 20 this year! Im starting to resemble a pin cushion, albeit a rather fat, bald pin cushion.
I got home to find Sam sorting the garden.

Still needs the membrane folding in and some more shingle, but its taking shape, and i love it. Id do so much more in the garden if i could. Cant wait to feel better and be able to do more. 

Anyway thats all for today. Tomorrow is chemo number 11. The last one that Linda will come with me for. 

Again, i will tell you how wonderful she's been. I can never thank her enough. I couldn't have done it without her. The highest award anyone could ever get is not enough for her. I will leave her phone number at the bottom of this blog and you can all call on her if you need her. Believe me, you could never do any better than have your own Linda. Im very lucky.

See you tomorrow, ready for a battle with number 11.