Feb 25, 2/5 radiotherapy

It’s a 9.25 a.m. appointment urgh! (That’s early for us!) but we made it and we have decided on a different plan of attack ...

A recliner (instead of a bed) and he controls the up/down pace. Then onto the walker to walk (slowly) to treatment table with some pain and anguish hoisting onto and off of that - then back to the recliner while he decomposes and hopefully a slow-no-vomit-ride home!  They recognise us at check-in and he’s in a recliner in no time ready to go ... except the doctor needs to visit.

After my (slightly desperate) call yesterday, in the middle of the 🤮, I guess I freaked them out enough that the RADONC doctor decided she needed to see him. In the end it was decided to increase the anti-nausea pills in strength (a lot) and take them before leaving for hospital/treatment and then a top up from them, just before treatment. ...So OxyCodone ++ and anti-nausea ++++  perhaps that is the right combo?

We’ve now missed the appointment time and are waaay behind schedule.

Meantime I called Renee to request fluid IV at the clinic, after the radiotherapy. (Inspite of the added time and bumpy drive required, Joseph even agreed he needed it after yesterday he has nothing left.).  Renee has to check with Nimit (who is in a different hospital/clinic/land every half of every day!) and today it turns out, he is one floor directly above us!

While Jospeh lies in his comfy chair waiting, I pop UP (to 3) to fill the prescription (and coffee cup), then flip/flopped in my thongs back DOWN (to 2) to find Joseph just leaving for treatment!! Figured I had time to pop UP (to 3) in hopes I might see Nimit so off I flip/flop UP (to 3), and in between patients, Nimit noticed me (👋🏻!!!) and said we don’t need to drive to the clinic, we can have the IV fluids right here!!!  Dear Lord - other than admitting him to hosp, this is the best news and I nearly kiss him!!  ... and off he goes to the chemo-day treatment area to make those arrangements. (Hope some poor chemo patient wasn’t ejected to make room!!) ...Anyway off I flip/flop DOWN (to 2) to get Joseph, but he refuses to move until he is guaranteed a treatment chair is free ... so off I flip/flop UP (to 3) to make sure and then back DOWN (to 2) to assure him and bring him UP (to 3)! ... and there he sits in the comfortable recliner for 1.5 hrs being saturated with yummy fluids.  The movements up and down and walking (gingerly) are still painful but there are no 🤮... until we are back home - but that’s one vs. the six from yesterday!

This is how Joseph handles waiting!!

We left at 8.30 a.m. and it’s 3.00 p.m. by the time we are back home... and I have surely walked a marathon because each treatment area, on each floor, is down a very long hallway ... and while I have no choice but to take the elevator, I am in my thongs, not my walking sandals, and now I think I need an IV ... of something!!  ... but all worth it for a much better experience and the hopes of repeating such tomorrow