I’m feeling exhausted. This is positive as we’ve had a relatively busy week and I’ve done more walking than in a long time. My muscles, beaten up and weakened by the effects of the disease and treatment are protesting under the demands I’ve placed on them. It’s all part of the recover process. We’ve both been also feeling a little emotionally exhausted but are mostly back up again. It happens from time to time.
On Wednesday we went back to the now very familiar Monash hospital in Clayton. We have found a 3 hour free car park about 10-15 mins walk from the hospital. The car park next to the hospital is not cheap and given the number of visits we make free parking is a good option.
At the hospital pharmacy I collected my 20 syringes of Filgrastim – the drug to stimulate my stem cells. I need to take (inject) 780 micrograms of the drug morning and evening for 5 days. If you’re really paying attention you’ll have detected something off with the numbers. That’s because you can’t get single syringes with 780 mcg in them. I therefore have the joy of injecting myself twice each morning and evening.
While at the hospital we were able to meet up with a Justice of the Peace who was a member of staff who we used to notarize some documents. At least that’s what we hoped.
Once finished at the hospital we went to nearby Clayton to shop and have pizza.
On Thursday we drove into Melbourne for a 9am appointment at the Alfred Hospital. Here I learned more about the cell harvesting proccess and, most importantly, learned how to self inject the Filgrastim. Helen was with me but despite being offered the opportunity she didn’t feel up to doing the injections. The section of the hospital we went to specialized in oncology (cancer) care. Back at Monash they do have an oncology unit but the ward I receive my chemo in was more broadly for haematology related problems. At Monash, the care was good but the work demanding on the staff. At the oncology ward at the Alfred, the staff had a very jovial temperament and we received a lot more attention. It was very nice. It comes with the territory I presume.
Overnight we both had a rough sleep. Helen was feeling a bit run down and had some cold symptoms. I had liquids coming out of the wrong place. I suspect it was something I ate coupled with my bodies reduced ability (so soon after chemo) to fully react.
After the hospital visit we headed further into Melbourne to visit the Australian Passport office where they had a notary section. They don’t notarise but provide a stamp called an apostille that certifies the notary. It turns out they won’t certify Justice’s of the Peace so our earlier efforts were in vain. We had to use a lawyer.
Today we went back to the Peter Mac Center in Moorabbin where I had my first round of prep for the radiation therapy to come. Because I will be receiving whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) it is critically important my head is held still. To accomplish this a form fitting mask needs to be made. Today I had to bare my top and lie down on a flat bed. With four nurses in attendance, my head and shoulders were covered with cling film and this was then covered with plaster of paris. The cling film reminded me a bit of Dexter. I then had my eyes an nose covered with cling film and plaster of paris too, leaving just my mouth free. Fortunately it didn’t take too long to set. The ‘negative’ was then removed and my face cleaned up.
This ‘negative’ will be filled to create a busk (a ‘positive’) that will closely resemble the front of my head and shoulders. This busk will then be used to create another ‘negative’ which they’ve referred to as a mask.
It is this mask that will hold me still during the RT. They told me if I behave during the RT I can keep the busk.
I was also given my date for the beginning of my radiotherapy sessions – Thursday the 25th of October. This should give us time for another trip back to Brisbane before my calendar gets booked for 4 weeks.
After this session we drove back to Clayton where we visited a lawyer to properly notarize the documents. The Justice of the Peace had been free. The lawyer wasn’t !!
We both had a good sleep last night, the best in a while. As I said at the beginning I’m pretty exhausted but on the mend. We have a nice relaxing weekend ahead. We’re also looking forward to Helen’s cousin Sarah’s return on Sunday. She’s been out of the country nearly a month.
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