Forgot to say 25 bike miles. One choccy browny Yum!

Hi Guzzle,

Do you have a tablet (electronic device as opposed to the pill varity)? If so then I found that taking a couple of good movies to each chemo session helped to pass the time. I rented a few good ones from iTunes and that made the time fly by.

Nicola - How's your saliva situation? I'm not sure I've ever said that to a lady before...... The reason for asking is that on my way into work this morning it occurred to me that mine appears to be very slowly improving - it definitely feels slightly better than a month ago and I find myself needing to slurp water less frequently during the night. Although the night-sweats still wake me up I don't have that incredibly dry mouth as offen as a month or two ago. Hopefully this bodes well for the future and I hope that it does for you as well (as I'm a few weeks ahead of you in terms of treatment and recovery).

All the best.

Simon xx

Hi Guzzle,

Good luck with the NHS WIFI. I found it too slow for things like downloading or streaming, hence I downloaded movies prior to going to hospital. Your hospital may have better WIFI though.

I returned to work about 5 1/2 months after the treatment finished. I started to work from home at first and then returned on reduced hours. On the train on the way to work at the moment in fact.

Good luck.

Simon

Hope you are all having a lovely Easter. I start therapy next Tue with a zapping/chemo/overnight stay. Got my manbag full of essentials. Will be saying goodbye to beer/curry Sunday (for a while) watching Liverpool game. If the weather is like this it willl crack me up being stuck indoors. 

Hope Paris was a blast (if you,ve been yet). In going to enjoy every drop of warmth this weekend.

May be bending your ear for advice soon.

Cheers, Gary

Hi all,

I went to the Penny Brohn Centre this week, had a taster course. It's a cancer care centre for anyone (and their carers) living with or living after cancer. It's a lovely place with lots to offer, including residential courses for those that don't live so local, as its based in Bristol. I'll definitely be going back. They have a website, it's worth a look.

Simon, glad to hear your saliva issue is getting better, I was chuffed to read that as it gives me some hope. My saliva issue has got slightly better now you mention it. I didn't really notice before but compared to a month or two ago, my mouth is less dry and food has become more appetising as a result. My mouth is still very dry and I'm not keen on using the Biotine stuff (the artificial saliva) but I'm coping ok with it, better than before anyway. I've also almost completely come off of my painkillers. I think I've only taken them twice all week so I'm pleased with that. The hair on the back of my head is growing back too, but only on one side! The right side (the side of the cancer) is still bold! Eating normal foods takes some getting used to, as half of my tongue (the reconstructed part) is totally numb and I have no teeth on that side and I find that bits of stuff get stuck or stab me in the gums and I'm unable to use my tongue to clear away any food! I'll just have to make sure no food is involved if I ever get asked on a date, haha!

Guzzle, we are going to Paris by Eurostar, travelling with a toddler, should be fun - or not!

Things seem to be moving along quickly for you, why do you have to stay overnight at hospital? I remember my tongue feeling frazzled after my very first session of RT, I had a headache and was tired. I also remember feeling exhausted after my first chemo. As Simon mentioned before, be sure to have your anti sickness pills to take home with you. I'm yet to meet someone that didn't feel nauseous following the Cisplatin, but it's manageable. Good luck with it, I was still eating well into half way through treatment so you may manage a few more curries yet!

Hello to everyone else on the thread and thinking of you all.

Speak soon,

Nicola xx

Hi Nicola, Eurostar is great. Better than a plane for kids. Only takes a little over two hours. There is a Travelodge over the road if you want to stay over night prior. You are probably onto it but you can book a lot online before you go. Combined passes for travel , museums etc v.good. Nice just to stroll around

They are keeping me in for my convenience I think so they can zap me the following morning and then I scarper. Its about 30 / 40 miles. Got books and Netflix so all good. Will fill manbag! Still had no conversation about any type of tube. Suppose will have to wait and see. By sods law just coming down with a sniffle! Hopefully shift it. The centre you went to sounds great. Did you take your litteun? Glad your on the mend and hope Im as tough as you!

Will let you know how I get on. G

PS good to know may have a few weeks normal eating ahead!

Hi Gary,

      Good luck with your first treatment session.  I think most people find it a lot easier then they expected.

Nausea seems to be the only common problem but you should get pills for it anyway. I was lucky and

had almost no ill effects. I was weak to start with from a six and half hour Op and the bad blood infection

they managed to give me. But I improved as the treatment progressed.

After your beauty treatment are you sure its a manbag you have?.

Regards Colin  

Colin, even a metrosexual manbag is a revelation for me! Where did I put all my kit before! On balance prob fearing impact of rt over 6 weeks rather than the 3 days chemo. Just got to get through like the rest of you warriors! One revelation has been the amount of really nice people I have met through this. I plan to go and meet Access from the Branchial thread when I recover to have lunch and buy him a beer.  So as I have said before if you or any of the wise counsellors from this thread are ever in Liverpool drop me a line. It not quite France but is an interesting city. I am staying in overnight tomorrow.so lots of reading material. Thanks for your support, Regards, Gary

Hi Gary

Hope all went well with the first session (and the manbag!).

Let us know how you are.

Best wishes.

Gill