Hey lovely,
well done on getting through all the chemorads just the final hurdle to go!! You're almost done woohoo!
I had the same treatment that it sounds like you are going to have, this is my story. (Sorry it’s a bit long..)
I got to the hospital on the Monday had to wait a while to get my bed by then I'd missed my tea :( luckily I brought snacks, I had to stop eating by 10pm. At some point in the evening I had a suppository enema and continuous obs.
I was in a private room with a tv, which was broken as were my light switches by my bed so I wish that I'd had a face mask coz I hate sleeping with the light on, and if you have long hair maybe french plait it coz mine was matted to my scalp by the end of 4 days.
The next morning I was wheeled down to theatre to have the rods inserted and woke up in recovery with no pain but flat on my back (my consultant raised the head of the bed a bit which the nurses kept putting back down but I kept raising a bit after they left) I was wheeled back back to my room for a bit then had my first treatment which involves being wheeled through the hospital (in my case) to the radiotherapy section and then wheeled into a room where tubes are attached to the rods and then when everyone leaves you can hear the radioactive balls roll into place but it's just like radiotherapy not painful In the slightest and no where near as noisy, lasts maybe 5 minutes.
The next day I went for a scan to check rod placement and treatment plan and then about an hour later I was taken down for my second treatment, I was monitored constantly and catheterised and had a morphine pump, which they forgot about until the end of the second day but really I wasn’t in the slightest bit of pain.
I had 4 treatments over 3 days and though I wouldn’t choose repeat the experience it was completely doable and if I needed to do it again I would without hesitation. It was scan, wait, treat. I think this way they make sure they are targeting the right areas with the correct dosage.
Really you’re so busy, being wheeled to scan and treatment and someone doing obs and then people constantly coming and going and more obs the time goes pretty quick.
The worst parts for me was I wasn’t allowed to eat anything other than dry toast, I did not eat the dry toast that is sacrilegious! I did have a few sweets but tbh I guess it’s hard to go for a number two When you have to be flat. They give you codeine which helps bung you up I think.
The frustrating parts were the health care assistants kept moving everything away to give me a wipe down and forgetting to move it back. And a couple of times they got shitty with me because I couldn’t relax, I found it hard to allow someone to manoeuvre me around with rods shoved up my foof whilst attempting to make small talk.
They also kept leaving the lights on and I couldn’t turn them off, it’s the silly bits that I found hard not the treatment itself, but I doubt you will have difficultly with any of that, as you will be in a different hospital.
There was one amazing porter who was really slow and patient but some were speed demons and the bumps can be a bit uncomfortable.
Only getting to wear a hospital gown completely open at the back sucked too as I said it’s the silly things
All in all on the last day I had my treatment around lunchtime, but this point I was ready to kill someone for a pasty and a cup of tea, but went for a scan then treatment and immediately after I went to have the rods removed. They gave me the amazing gas and air I had during labour, god I love that stuff so I was happily off my tits and very reluctant to let them have it back I didn’t really notice the removal I vaguely remember there being an insane amount of packing.
And that was it, back to my room but sat up in the bed was amazing!!!
The nurses told me to take my time and chill because of jelly legs but I thought bugger that, straight in the shower and out of there!!
It did feel weird to walk and a bit unsteady. I did have a sore patch where I think the packing rubbed and sweated but it cleared up in a couple of days, I was a bit worried about peeing after 3 days with a catheter but it was fine.
My sister picked me up about 2 hours after and the next day we drove to London and I got on a plane to Japan for my holiday.
I would recommend, sweets, a bottle that you can tip up without spilling, they give you a cup with a straw but it’s hard to make even simple movements. I took books but I couldn’t read holding the book above my head. Maybe audible books, my phone was my lifesaver.
Don’t be afraid to buzz for anything, always make sure you have a good jug of water and make them fill your bottle up too.
It really was fine, and I am sure you’re be good too, you’ve come this far.
I will be thinking of you and hope everything goes really well, you’re sooo close.
Massive hugs and loads of love xx
