Beginning My Return to Normality (Almost)

(To read my cancer story from the beginning start here – April / May 2018 – You Have Cancer)

Christmas 2018 was great

I even managed to eat some turkey, roast potatoes, honey roast root vegetables, sprouts, etc. the only real struggle were the pigs and blankets – Sausages, bacon, ham, bread and a few other things would remain a struggle for a few months yet.

Straight after Christmas I had weekly trips to Coventry for the nurse to pull out about an inch of the pack from my neck each week and redress it, by now though I was feeling well enough (and confident enough) that I would drive myself and go on my own 🙂

I was also at the stage where I was only seeing my support team once a month, my oncologist once a month and my consultant once a month (usually tying in seeing my support team on the same day as seeing my oncologist or consultant) which meant that once my neck was sorted I was only having to go to Coventry once a fortnight for the next 2 or 3 months.

The weekly pack treatments were a doddle, I didn’t feel a thing when she was pulling it out and on the last week when she pulled the last bit out I was expecting to have stitches but no it just seals up on it’s own the nurse told me.

With my neck sorted, infections finally cleared I could begin my Lymphatic treatment.

My consultant had made an appointment for me but unfortunately it was in Nuneaton a good 10 miles further North than Coventry (I was 30 miles south of Coventry)

It was about then that I found the MacMillan Cancer Support Community which I joined and asked a question about Travelling so far for treatment.

It was suggested I contact my GP, I then did a bit of research and found there was a specialist Lymphoedema clinic at the Myton Hospice at Warwick

I emailed them explaining my circumstances and asking if I could be treated there instead of Nuneaton and was pleased to receive a reply later that day asking for more information.

I sent them all they asked for and said to leave it to them to contact Coventry hospital and get everything set up.

A week later a nice lady at Myton Hospice in Warwick had arranged everything and my 1st appointment was to be in Warwick in the 1st week of February 😉

I also went for my gym assessment at the end of January, was weighed, body fat measured, fluid retention measured etc.

I was now 10 stone 12, body fat slightly high, fluid slightly high but well within a healthy range and within a healthy BMI

I was given an exercise plan, basically just 3 pieces of equipment for the 1st 6 weeks whilst I was having my assessment; 10 minutes on treadmill, 10 minutes on Exercise bike and 10 minutes on an arm spinning machine.

My cancer story continues here – Lymphatic treatment and having my PEG out

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