Day 26: disappointing

Sunday

WCC: 0.3

Neut: 0.0

Hb: 89

Platelets: 14

Weight: 62.0kg

Today was disappointing in so many ways.

Last night was an OK night - still having fevers, but now it was panadol every 4 hours to cut them off before they could take hold and this was a bit easier on my body. Was awake at 4.30 (now 5.30am thanks to daylight savings) and had blood taken. Slept again until 7.30am and woke in such a good mood - felt a huge weight had come off my body, and felt this was the end of the fevers etc.

Food still a bit of an issue given I really have not consumed much in the way of solids for the last 3 days and nausea is still a bit of an issue so thought I'd give my rice bubbles a go - but they missed it off my breakfast. Luckily (!) I had yesterday's still in my room, but then I decided I couldn't face milk, so tried to eat them dry. A bit stale and dry - that wasn't a good combination, so I gave up on breakfast.

At 9.00am the shivers started again, so I knew another fever was on it's way. By 9.20am I took the panadol, and by 10.30 felt OK again, but very lethargic. Morning tea trolley came around so I asked for cheese/biscuits and a lemonade. Now I never normally drink lemonade, but since yesterday I just felt like I had to burp so I thought I would give it a go. I ate the cheese and jatz and they seemed to go down OK and I sipped the lemonade tentatively. By the end of it, I actually felt pretty good. Decided if I could keep nibbling on small things during the day it would be a good start to getting back to eating again.

In amongst all this I was hooked up to the IV antibiotics but had been told that at the end of all this I was going to have my line changed, so I would be 'free' for a short period of time, so it would be best to wait to have a shower - which is true - the relative freedom of having a shower not connected to an IV line/machine is fantastic. Arm still has to be wrapped and taped up to keep PICC line dry.

Then I was told they were going to change the dressing on my PICC line today, as it was due tomorrow and given the line had to be changed. So this is a bit of a longer process and I aly still whilst it was being done. All the while, the nausea was steadily getting worse. As soon as the PICC line was re-dressed and new IV line attached, a bag of platelets was set up. Anth walked in and I think my first words were 'can you make me a toasted cheese sandwich'.

I got it down, but stomach was griping and shortly after visiting the bathroom, had to ask for an Imodium tablet.

I had asked Anth for some 'juice mix' with the idea of a fresh, fruity, icy, cleansing, refreshing drink (my own private mocktail). Unfortunately the idea in my head did not translate and I had trouble stomaching most of what he bought.

We managed to have a short conversation, and then the chills kicked in again and another temperature on it's way. Although the panadol was given relatively early, I was so tired, I struggled to keep my eyes open.

And then Anth was gone.

Got a piece of cheese and some jatz down for dinner and feel I will be asleep very soon.