Well...I rushed back to see if I'd got any more comments on my blog and there were none!
I've been away you see. To Hospital (she said self importantly).
The cliff-hanger on the Thanksgiving meal was would I managed to eat anything else and keep it down.
The answer was no.
Doc said, well as long as you're not vomiting then it's ok. Helpfully forgetting the fact that I was in pain in the tummy and had been for weeks. My stomach had grown by 4 inches over the past couple of months and was pretty uncomfortable. I'd been comparing notes with my pregnant sister in law.
Anyway by Sunday I could not eat or keep anything down.
I went to hospital.
It was a bit like a health spa really, on a saline drip for a day. Then water only and vitamin drinks. I swear I've detoxed because I have spots on my chin which I never get.
By Tuesday it was obvious that I still couldn't fit any food or drink in my tummy. So eventually the doc decided to "put in a drain". Look away now if you are squeamish.
The scan had confirmed that there was a build up of fluid in my stomach cavity, it's 'text-book", the doctor said, in this type of disease. The body is irritated by the cancer and produces fluid that builds up over time. Eventually there's no room left for normal things like bodily organs and it hurts like hell.
So, just like being at the dentist, the worst bit was the local anaesthetic injection. Then some rummaging about while they put a tube in my side. Ewwww. Within minutes the pressure was going down and I felt better. 3 litres later I was a new woman.
What a relief
Now I'm home
Glad to be back
Had another day on fluids and one on very very small meals.
Very good way to lose weight - 5kg in a week.
Whoever said I was vain!
Blimey! 3 litres - that's two bottles of mineral water!
Glad to hear you're feeling better now.
Posted by: Kirsty | Dec 06, 2003 at 02:17 PM
Me too. I've checked in to see if you were about a number of times, and was glad you answered the bell this time.
Posted by: Beth | Dec 07, 2003 at 02:37 AM
And those three litres would have been full of minerals and salts too. I salute you, may your inspection of u-bend be at an end and may the only minerals and salts of note be those that make up delicious 'low residue' meals - ah the delights of steamed, poaches and pureed...it'll get better REALLY
Posted by: Daisy-Winifred | Dec 07, 2003 at 05:31 PM
And those three litres would have been full of minerals and salts too. I salute you, may your inspection of u-bend be at an end and may the only minerals and salts of note be those that make up delicious 'low residue' meals - ah the delights of steamed, poached and pureed...it'll get better REALLY
Posted by: Daisy-Winifred | Dec 07, 2003 at 05:32 PM
Whoops - just making up for your feeling of lack of posts previously :0)
Posted by: Daisy-Winifred | Dec 07, 2003 at 05:36 PM
Hmmm I think it was full of nasty gremlin cells too so much better that my internal organs are not soaked in a vat of nastiness. The doc likens it to a bucket of grass seeds. Yuck so that means eventually the seeds will take root. Just was well I had the drain!
Posted by: candygirl | Dec 08, 2003 at 04:34 PM
i was wondering where you have been... all along you had checked yourself into a health spa for a spot of irrigation, detox-ing and relaxation. i hear that robbie williams pays tens of thousands for this treatment.
glad you are feeling better. I am left with one thing that i cant help thinking...
...what did they do with the bucket of grass seeds afterwards?
chuck them on the lawn outside?? you could create an emma-tree on the hospital grounds!
Posted by: adie | Dec 10, 2003 at 02:22 AM
just had a thought... excuse me for being a little crackers...
what would an emma-tree be like?
would it have pink flowers? edible nuts? red berries? the odd thorn? maybe even some posionous berries to ward off the wrong people??
would it be big, small, wide, thin, bush-like?? would the leaves fall off in autumn?
what sort of animals would it have living in it?? squirrels, lizards, snakes, birds, maybe even a tree-house with children in it???
tell us what an emma-tree would be. your public awaits...
Posted by: adie | Dec 10, 2003 at 02:28 AM
just had a thought... excuse me for being a little crackers...
what would an emma-tree be like?
would it have pink flowers? edible nuts? red berries? the odd thorn? maybe even some posionous berries to ward off the wrong people??
would it be big, small, wide, thin, bush-like?? would the leaves fall off in autumn?
what sort of animals would it have living in it?? squirrels, lizards, snakes, birds, maybe even a tree-house with children in it???
tell us what an emma-tree would be. your public awaits...
Posted by: adie | Dec 10, 2003 at 02:28 AM
A tree a tree, if I were a tree what kind of tree would I be?
Emma tree? I think it would be have all of those things, pink flowers, thorns and maybe some juicy fruit.
Animals dunno, something furry like a squirrel!
People don't seem to like these medical style posts, I think it's a bit graphic. But I want people to know what it's like without being too gory. Also if other people who have cancer read it then it might help them.
Hmmm what to do...
Posted by: candygirl | Dec 10, 2003 at 03:03 PM
yeah yeah yeah, i like the medical style posts. its good to know what you are going through. and it is good to be able to write some random bollox that might just help somehow (or just write crap like me).
either way,
i still wanna know about an emma tree.
Posted by: adie | Dec 10, 2003 at 10:22 PM
I like the crap you write adie.
I mould all my crapite posts on you !
Emma Tree I told you it's got nice flowers, pink of course and some thorns. It's quite leafy with occassional fruit.
It's short tho!
Posted by: candygirl | Dec 12, 2003 at 01:00 PM