Hypokaleamic and Neutropenic all in a day's work for this special one! So I thought as I was missing St Mary's so much that Id pay them a visit this week... Again! Kind of becoming a bit of a tradition now a week on from chemo and all that jazz. Note to self.... This must stop, I'm running out of new beds to try out and I'm on first name terms with the a and e docs! I had a few issues Wednesday with collapsing mid scan and heavy nosebleeds throughout the day etc. But nothing that anyone would consider major on the grand scheme of things really! But thursday the nosebleeds, dizziness, headaches, cramps etc continued, so the (now normal!) routine to phone the Cancer nurses came into play. And it was decided that Id pop up to the chemo unit for a quick blood test to test my platelet levels (the things that make you clot!) were as normal as could be and if they weren't then a simple platelet transfusion in the afternoon to rock them up and Id be back on my way again! Oh how wrong that statement could be... Again! Why was I even surprised! So a few hours up on the unit awaiting the bloods back, and eventually I was told my platelets were more normal (a shock to everyone!) so no transfusion needed, however my neutrophils were very very low (even more of a shock to the nurses!). Although We knew obviously the chemo knocks out the neutrophils, the injections ive had to stab myself with the last week start bringing them back up, or so they should do anyway! And it appeared they hadn't done a thing to my neutrophils! With a level of 0.3.... It should have been higher but again after chemo nothing too major wrong, just a course of antibiotics to go and I would be on my way.... Again the wrong statement to make.... Sent down to Beacon Health to get the antibiotics, and off into A and E I went! A long ass night was ahead. The A and E docs weren't happy with my Neutropenia as infection had already started to set in, so stuck me on an IV antibiotic cocktail for the evening, and again I thought I'd be good to go after a few hours (a bit of a naive, simplistic and stupid thought I now realise!). A bit more serious than all that, but I won't go into all the ins and out right now, and although I take selfies everywhere I go, obviously including A and E, it's the way I deal with things, with fun and laughter regardless of what the situation is. A few hours later after more blood results, more nosebleeds (I did try to create a blood dot to dot on their bed, gown and floor at one point!) and more X-rays, I was told I was HypoKalaemic... Very low in potassium to the normal brain like myself! Potassium is essential in your body for heart, muscle and nerve function, no wonder I had cramps, heart palpitations, dizziness, focus issues etc etc.... Everything this last week now made some sort of sense! Just no idea why the levels had dropped so low! Normal Potassium levels are 3.5-5. At my last chemo just a week ago mine were at 3.7, yesterday they were 1.4/1.5. Pretty dam low for potassium, for showing only a few side effects! So it was confirmed I was admitted and attached to a potassium infusion on MAU. Can honestly say I've never had the pleasure of sleeping next to a monster/gurgling/not sure what the word for it was lady before, but boy did she snore!! Cue.... Eyes wide open, no sleep, planning murder (using weapons such as the yellow floor cleaning sign and the drip stand!) the entire night! But the hours passed with my drip friend and monster room friend and soon it was morning. Although the best line was the lady in the morning to the HCA 'no I didn't get a wink of sleep last night' BOLLOCKS did you not!! Again cannot fault the staff at St Mary's, met another one of the chemo nurses today, Jennifer, I am officially 'known' by all of them now, one way or another, I'm a 'special' one!! Last night was another dark moment when the initial thought was the Cancer had spread and my organs were affected. It's the initial thought as it wasn't a normal reaction, there was no logical reason my potassium or neutrophil levels were so low. With infection having set in in my body, it was a good job I went in for that normal blood test after all. But it did also set massive alarm bells ringing. Ones that were clarified today, no it hasn't spread and yes my body is still giving it a bloody good fighting to, even if it's not reacting in the way it should!! On lighter news; the sexiest nightie award goes to the St Mary's Pink beauties, the most obvious statement of the year award goes to the A and E gowns that state For Hospital Use Only all over them (as if I was planning on wearing out on a Friday night!), the most horrific person to share a room with goes to my monster friend, the joke that fell flat award goes to me asking to doc if foam bananas would be suitable for potassium boost and the best selfie award goes to the mid nosebleed tap selfie!! Today ive been attached all day, and finally my potassium level is coming back up, back in the regions of 3 at least! They have to add potassium slowly as it affects your heart. So this means more drugs to add to the goody bag and weekly reviews from now on to make sure it's not dropping too low again. My neutrophil level has also increased by .3 so at least it's coming up again! Lots of extra drugs these next few weeks to boot my body back into winning spirit, but it's still going! Roll on the next A and E visit, St Mary's Sexy nighties and the new diet of banana's for the foreseeable! Xxx
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February 2017
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