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Happy Birthday?

By Gillian

Today is Christopher’s 46th birthday, and he is spending it in Cheltenham General Hospital’s Oncology ward. Not how we had envisaged spending it! The nurses are making a big fuss of him. They brought him a chocolate biscuit with candle on it and sang “Happy Birthday” to him. I’ve got his presents and cards waiting for him back home, and we’ll celebrate properly when he is discharged.

He had a bad night and had to take several does of morphine to deal with the pain. The doctors now consider that this is likely to be due to an infection in his bile duct so he is on antibiotics. That explains why he has been feeling so ghastly ever since he had the stent fitted. Because of the antibiotics and his still-dodgy liver-function, they can’t give him the full couse of three chemotherapy drugs that was planned. They are currently planning on giving him two drugs (the cisplatin and 5-FU, but not the epirubicin) and will keep him in hospital overnight. I hope to have him home tomorrow, provided that they can stabilise him.

{ 11 } Comments

  1. Amanda Cashion | 12 January 2010 at 4:02 pm | Permalink

    Gilian Please send Chris my love and tell him we are all thinking of him.

    I was shocked to hear Chris is so ill my prayers are with you both

    Lots of love

    Amanda xxxx

  2. icyjumbo | 14 January 2010 at 3:29 pm | Permalink

    Amanda, I got your love through Gillian, and it’s much valued. Thank you. Remember, I have the best oncology team looking after me, and the best support network for the home stuff. I feel very lucky.

  3. Jayne Alexander | 13 January 2010 at 9:33 am | Permalink

    Hi Chris and Gillian, I’m gutted to hear the news late yesterday. I have read all your blog posts and am really moved by how you both are coping at this difficult time. I think its a great gift to share your experiences with us and i will be following your journey by keeping in touch on here. Needless to say if there’s anything i could possibly help with then let me know. Sending big hugs to you both xxxxx

  4. icyjumbo | 14 January 2010 at 3:31 pm | Permalink

    Jayne, I like to think I’m helping with the diet, not that you seemed to need any help at all last time I saw you 🙂 Please keep reading, and being an audience. It encourages me to blog knowing it’s read, and blogging keeps me positive. A win-win I think, don’t you?

    Hugs (weakened by being squashed) sent right back.

  5. RuthieG | 14 January 2010 at 10:43 pm | Permalink

    Keep on blogging! We’re listening! 😀 Glad you’re safely home.

  6. Helen Newsholme | 25 January 2010 at 2:02 pm | Permalink

    Chris and Gillian
    an amazing blog, I don’t know how you remember so clearly and to put it in words that…. well words fail me!!!
    I love the photo of the snow and the activities in the show
    thinking of you and best wishes to you both
    Helen

  7. icyjumbo | 25 January 2010 at 2:28 pm | Permalink

    Thank you, Helen. Remembering is easy, as we tend to write it soon after it happens. And a lot of the blog is opinion, which doesn’t take any remembering at all.

    I’m glad you like the photo of the snow. I had fun taking it. Watch for an update to the shower story as I think we’re beginning to sort out how to do it with the least possible fuss and muss.

  8. Colin & Jane Hagger | 7 April 2010 at 8:11 pm | Permalink

    Chris,
    Hi there – I (Colin) was sent on a brief shopping mission tonight, and was shocked to hear the news from Gillian. I’ve had a quick look at your blog, but a bit of catching up is needed! However, our thoughts and prayers are with you both. Needless to say, as I am now not ‘working’ I am quite happy to help out with anything I can do – transport or whatever – then please let me know. I could even spare the time for a coffee somewhere!

    Our very best wishes to you both,
    Qolin and Jane

  9. icyjumbo | 7 April 2010 at 8:48 pm | Permalink

    Colin, how nice to hear from you. Gillian did mention that she had run into you this afternoon. I hope the news wasn’t too much of a shock. It would be lovely to meet for a coffee sometime, although it will have to be at least a week away, as I am “in purdah”, i.e. have lowered immune system response for a week in the middle of my chemotherapy cycle, so I tend to avoid people in that week. But sometime soon would be good. Let me know when is good for you,

    Chris.

  10. Colin & Jane Hagger | 9 April 2010 at 8:07 am | Permalink

    Chris,
    Shocked – yes. How much? Well, what are the SI units of shock? Are they on a linear or log scale? Let’s just say it was enough of a shock for one day, thanks! It is also rare for me to meet someone at Waitrose who is still actually working at QQ. (Or at least attending?).
    As for meeting up, I’m usually out on Tuesdays, but otherwise the rest of week of 19th April looks fairly free – let me know. Also venue – your place, here, in town? I can also collect you if needed (I have panniers on the bike!).
    Must dash – J gone to work and list of jobs to work through!
    Qolin

  11. icyjumbo | 9 April 2010 at 1:49 pm | Permalink

    I don’t know what the scale looks like in detail, but I do know that it is horribly non-linear. 🙂

    I’ll email you directly about meeting for a coffee.