See, told you I was ‘big boned’!

No going back now. That’s the serious stuff now underway.

I was hooked up to a drip early afternoon and will get what looks like 101 different bags of fluids right through until the wee sma’ hours.

Apparently my treatment is following the Nordic Protocol. Shorthand means they are able to give me the strong stuff because I’m young (!), fit (?) and handsome (might have made that bit up…).

Didn’t sleep much last night so excuse me if I’m rambling more than usual.

Being kept on my toes with checks I wasn’t expecting. Late last night was a chest x-ray including a porter and a chair. I politely declined as I need to get exercise when I can.

This morning was an ECG check on my heart. Ice cold it is…😉

Finally got on to the planned stuff at lunchtime. Starting with a bone marrow test.

This involves a stingy local anaesthetic, the drawing of blood from near a hip bone, then a ‘drilling’ in to said bone to get some marrow out.

I don’t like looking at needles but was told the ‘drill’ was about as wide as a matchstick. The ever-realistic Mrs S reminded me that a matchstick was no comparison to the rugby ball size of a baby during childbirth. Fair point Louise!

More uncomfortable than painful, I was a bit disconcerted when the doctor said she needed a rest mid-procedure as my bone density was quite significant and she was struggling to “break through”.

See, I always said I was big boned and not purely a fat ba****d!

After much huffing and puffing – and with First Minister’s Questions on in the background as a distraction – crack went the bone and out came the marrow. Just like that.

Since then it’s been just me and my portable drip stand.

I’ve got to have loads of saline as the chemo drug I’ll be getting can cause issues with the kidneys. I’m also getting intravenous steroids which could play havoc with my bowels.

I’ll get the heavy drugs later on tonight, and have been told – for monitoring purposes – that I might be in for up to 10 days this time, certainly at least a minimum of five.

Spoke to the kids on video call earlier so that was an added bonus. It’s tough for them but technology is a wonderful thing and I should be able to meet then in the wrvs cafe at the weekend.

Something else for my busy social calendar…

A x