Only three more to go!

Tomorrow it’ll be fifteen days since I received my first dose of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy, which is a mouthful so it’s referred to as PRRT.

So far the only symptoms have been fatigue and nausea.

Now when I say fatigue, I mean a lack of energy which means that doing the most basic of personal tasks leaves me needing my bed straight away. My days have mostly involved waking up some time around 10 am. Using the toilet, walking downstairs to grab a bowl of cereals or a piece of toast, filling up my bottle of water and getting back into bed.

I have been listening to the radio or a podcast whilst eating my breakfast, but invariably, I have been falling asleep again by around midday.

The nausea has been something else altogether; whilst I have medication to ease it, it doesn’t completely go away, it simply takes the edge off the nauseous feeling. Another cancer patient recommended trying something sour, and I am pleased to report that fizzy sour bears did the trick, so a friend has been supplying me with enough to keep me going.

Other recommendations included ginger, which I can not stomach when I’m well, so I didn’t feel like trying it now when I’m not feeling my best.

Because of the nausea, my appetite has also suffered. I am ok with liquids, so soups, water and tea go down well. I have managed a boiled egg and toast, as well as cereals for breakfast. I struggle to eat much else. Of course, lack of food also has an impact on my energy levels.

The way in which PRRT works, delivering radioactivity to the tumours, means that my body is radioactive for up to two weeks after receiving treatment. Before leaving the hospital I had to sign a form agreeing to maintain my distance from other people and specifically from anyone who is pregnant or under the age of 18. I haven’t been able to hug my daughter in all that time. Friday, the first day when I will be allowed to do so, cannot come quickly enough.

One of the precautions I’ve been taking has been to minimise the time I spend in the communal rooms in my house, so I tend to spend no more than fifteen minutes at a time in the kitchen, I haven’t been in my lounge at all, and have spent the rest of the time in my bedroom. I have also been wearing disposable gloves when touching high traffic areas of the house and for the first seven days I wore gloves when touching Marlo.

Talking of Marlo, I’ve had so much help from friends who have taken him out on walks every day. He’s one very lucky pup!