CARBOPLATIN + GEMCITABINE CHEMO - CYCLE 4 DAY 8 - GEMCITABINE ONLY - 25 AUGUST 2022

 Neutrophils coming out of my ears - 13 point something. Shame they don't last long. As I understand it, they could be almost all gone in 24 hours under the onslaught of today's gemcitabine. Cannula inserted easily and successfully by Senior Nursing Assistant (so many ranks) after difficulties a week ago, but a bit closer to my hand than I like. This is the second time I've been told that gemcitabine is hard on the veins. 

The circular benches in the middle of the chemo suite are being dismantled to make way for more chairs for patients. My lovely chemo nurse says chairs are not so critical, but staff and pumps are. Here is the pump she has found for me - I am guarding it while she searches for a compupter console so she can get me going. I have promised to bark if anyone else threatens to claim it. 


There's been a bit of a delay while I finish other things but I have started Booth which arrived unexpectedly as a  birthday present some months ago. Thank you to the sender - am drinking it up although I fear it will end badly. I've previously mentioned my admiration for Karen Joy Fowler's 'We are all completely beside ourselves'. Delay has been due to making my way through other entertainment, most recently listening to 'Lessons in Chemistry' - also recommended and a reminder of how avidly I read Betty Friedan's 'The Feminine Mystique' and Marilyn French's 'The Womens Room' back in the day. Returning to Lincoln - after Booth, think I will restart my listen to 'Lincoln in the Bardo' which I think was just a bit too demanding for a post-chemo period.

I have cancelled my Amazon Prime sub! 🎇🎆 Long overdue. No wonder those people are billionaires with mugs like  me around. Completely fell into the marketing trap of setting it up and using it for a particular thing then paying through the nose for years (!!) while hardly making any further use of it.

PS Am only posting this on 15 Septembet but haven't missed  the Amazon Prime yet. Bought viewing of Mrs Miniver without any need for it.

Comments

  1. Sue B21 September 2022 at 23:16

    Thanks for the update Janet. Gemcitabine sounds ferocious! Worrying that you have to guard your pump. An impressive book list! Im looking forward to Anthony Doer's new book, Cloud Cuckoo Land. Dad mentioned going to see Mrs Miniver in his war diary. A cracking film evidently.

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