More of the same

For the last umpteen posts I have been complaining about breathlessness.  This post is not going to be any different.  In fact the problem has become quite a lot worse.  I'm OK if I remain seated but as soon as I do anything, even take a few steps, I become breathless.  This has resulted in a new installation at Discombobulated Towers.

Going up in the world, or possibly down

At first I wasn't too impressed at having a big beige plastic monstrosity in my house, but to be honest I don't know where I'd be without it.  For anyone pondering about having a stair lift I'd say go ahead, don't delay, it's a godsend.  It also has its amusing side if, like me, you happen to have a sister (no 1) who has a vertigo attack while trying it out.

While the breathlessness is hateful/frightening/depressing/a sodding pain in the arse, the enforced inactivity has given me an opportunity to torment the other-half.  He has to do everything now.  I have no puff for housework, cooking, de-fleaing the cat etc.  I've never seen someone with ironing rage before.  Apparently the way I chuck my clothes into the washing machine is a disgrace; tights all bundled up in a knot, jeans with one leg inside out, tops buttoned up etc.  What a wuss.  You wait until he experiences the delight that is finding a handful of tissues have been left in a pocket when he empties the washing machine.   I think he will truly blow a gasket.

No, don't go feeling sorry for him.  Look, here I am angelically smiling through chemo

And what do you think Nev was doing while this was going on?  Soothing my not particularly fevered brow? Feeding me chocolate?  Regaling me with amusing anecdotes?  Nope.  He snored through the whole thing.  Here's the proof.

Sleeping beauty

When it comes to chemo and blood tests and anything involving a needle my veins have finally waved the white flag.  So a couple of weeks ago I had a port implanted.  This has seen an end to the endless arm stabbing in a effort to try to find a co-operative vein but, to be honest, it's not as discreet as I'd hoped.  You can clearly see the port and some of the tube under my skin - it's a bit icky.  Hey ho.  Having it fitted was quite exciting.  It's done under local anaesthetic.  Imagine how thrilled I was when halfway through the procedure the fire alarm went off and the nurse announced "I don't think that's a test run".  We were on the ground floor and couldn't smell smoke so the nurse valiantly carried on and, thankfully, after a couple of minutes the alarm stopped.

I've been doing lots of traveling to the Christie (the hospital in Manchester where I'm currently on a trial chemo).  I've now had two cycles of the new swamp juice but, given the breathlessness, I really don't see how it can be working.  I'm having a CT scan on Monday so I will find out more shortly.  I suspect they will find more cancer in my lungs. Scary.  At least I don't seem to be having any other side-effects other than some fatigue.  So at the moment I am in limbo and feeling as cheesed off as Cyril (the three-legged monster cat) looks.

On the plus side I have been reading my head off.  My kindle is red hot.  And, although I can't really get out and about, as walking even short distances is difficult, I'm able to ride shotgun as Nev takes me out in the Shropshire countryside.  We drove over the Long Mynd the other day.  And I spotted something in keeping with the tone of this post - the Shropshire Sheep of Doom

And on that cheery note I'll say baa-baa for now.