Monday was scan day - rescan the lung/chest area to see what is (or hopefully isn't) happening there.
My appointment was 9am which means that I need to be up hours beforehand so that I can get mobile before I need to leave the house.
In the 'old' days I'd have been able to reach over, turn off my alarm get out of bed and do the stuff you need to do before leaving for the appointment...these days I need to find a way to turn over to even get to the alarm, then it takes me a further ten minutes to actually get out of bed followed by another half hour to 45 mins before I can get mobile enough to move around.
Attempting to do normal things, like bend down and pick up the cat bowl so that he can be fed is just not an option now for at least the first half hour. It seems that I completely stiffen up during the night and everything then takes time to register that it needs to move again. Even lifting the kettle to make a cup of tea causes me intense shooting pains throughout my back/rib area. I'm shuffling around like a 95 yr old...
Anyway, got to the appointment on time, got scanned. Told them I couldn't raise my left arm above my head like you're supposed to do for the scanning process - the Radiologist is lovely and said it really didn't matter, down by my side would be just fine.
I didn't mention my back problem to him at all and here's the odd thing....after my scan he removed the needle stuff from my arm then said 'Wait, take my arm so I can help you up..is your back very painful?'........Oh shit!.....then you start to think 'What did he see on the scan, how did he know about my back'..(but they can't tell you anything about the results) maybe he's just psychic eh :)
After the scan my back was a million times worse than it's ever been. I literally hobbled down the road and eventually got to work...every single step sent a shooting pain through my whole rib area, my head was still dodgy from the migraine the day before and truthfully I felt crap on Monday. Had a chat with H when I arrived at work and she suggested I went home and tried to relax to get rid of some of the pain. I slept during the afternoon sitting up in the chair.
Today it's been painful but not like Monday - today I've been able to work through the pain, take painkillers and clock-watch until home time..but then it doesn't help that it's 'home-time' because wherever I am, home, work, walking, sitting, standing, laying the pain is still there all the time now...(actually laying down is by far the worse pain).
I realised recently just how much I'd deteriorated, during the summer holidays I was able to walk around London with Shents and the kids for hours - we met up around 10am and I didn't get home until 7pm, we walked around for most of that time and I was fine, now I can't walk to work without pain and that's a 10 minute (well, it WAS taking me 10 minutes in the past, now it takes me 20 minutes) walk...
Okay, moan over :)..... just got to wait for the results now which I'll be asking for via email in two weeks rather than waiting 2+ months.
Going to investigate an Osteopath tomorrow to see if that might help.
About Me
- Carole
- I'm Carole, living in London, happily married and mum to two amazing boys.I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Rectal Cancer in April 2010. Surgery took place in November 2010 and I now have a permanent colostomy...Spinal mets were then diagnosed in October 2011...In January 2012 I was told of further spread to the hip area (multiple lesions)..My life expectancy is now 6-9 months. Walk alongside me on the last part of my experience with this..
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteI remember when I had my last PET scan he asked if my shoulder hurt as he could see some inflammation...he said that it didn't look too bad....funny though that the steroid injections and the steroid tablets I got during my chemo treatment seemed to cure the problem.
I do hope you get the results soon and that they are nothing to worry about.
Much Love dear friend
T xxx
Carole,
ReplyDeleteI think you're wise to follow up on this pain issue. Constant pain really takes it out of you fast! Eating, sleeping, moving, thinking, etc. all become much much harder to do. After 2 1/2 weeks of constant pain, I went from being able to bike over 16 miles to not being able to walk slowly to the bottom of my street. I was shocked that I had gone down hill so quickly. Good luck finding some solutions.
xoxox Carla
I remember deteriorating fast before surgery. In May last year I was playing a round of golf and feeling fine. By August I was creeping around using a walking stick for support.
ReplyDeleteI do hope someone gives you a diagnosis soon. Just now it sounds as though everyone is waiting for someone else to come up with a diagnosis first.
((o))
Hi Carole,
ReplyDeleteThankyou for doing this blogg.
I was diagnosed on 5th September with T3 Rectal cancer. I am only just starting my journey but I feel a little bit more prepared for what might happen after reading your blogg.
Thanks again & I hope your scan result is ok.
Ann xx
Hello Ann and welcome :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your cancer journey - remember that anything horrible you read on my blog may well NOT apply to you...Hopefully your experience will run smoothly with limited issues.
However if you need to talk at any point, email me and I'll be happy to chat you through things.
You'll get there Ann :)
Much luv xxxx
Carole - you're right - you were as sprightly as hell when we met up - positively skipping around the capital without any problem (not that you would have complained if you had been in any pain, but you didn't seem to be)
ReplyDeleteSo yes, it does sound like you've got a lot worse since then...
I don't think there's any harm in going to an osteopath. Sometimes one original source of pain can end up making other parts of the body ache too - maybe a decent osteopath could talk through all your pain with you and be able to offer a little help/reassurance? Who knows. Whatever, we just want the results of that bloody scan back so that we know for certain.
Much love being sent you way - as it is every day xxxxxxxxx
Hey Shents :)
ReplyDeleteGood news is that I've managed to get an appointment today (Friday) with an decent local Osteopath - so looking forward to feeling loads better shortly :)
I've put something in the post today for T from Dj - hopefully he'll like it :)
Much luv back to you all xxxx
That's good news about the osteopath. I think you'll feel so much better once you've spoken to someone who is willing to LISTEN to what you have to say, and lets hope they can help :-)
ReplyDeleteOOh! Tom'll be excited! :-))
By the way, the word I had to type in when I posted the last comment was 'herse.' Help! Better watch myself!:-/
Hi Carole, I understand about the pain. I have so much more stiffness, soreness and pain too now. I also recently had a bone scan. Ugh. Hope you get good news and glad to hear you got that appt. Take care.
ReplyDeleteLove you! x
ReplyDeleteHi Carole,
ReplyDeleteDoes sound like you are getting worse, I do hope that you get the results to your scan soon. (Still waiting for mine). Good idea to have arranged results by email, so pleased that you managed to get an app. the the Oest. Is there any news?
Do take care, and like so many other people have stated, you are a real inspiration to so many of us!
Love and stuff
Carol