You’re my life now. Part one.

I had a week to get fit for the second round of chemo whilst at home. A week to use diet and exercise to get me in the right place. I did think I’d start slowly with the exercise thing but I had no idea how far I had to go. When I arrived home it was a massive relief and as I sat down for a meal, my second of the evening, I’d had a meal at the hospital before they released me, I was determined to follow through on a fitness regime. Then I tried to climb the stairs. Ok! This wasn’t going to be easy. Maybe I needed to rethink my strategy here. If I can’t climb stairs then it’s going to take a lot to get me where I need to be.

First night I slept nine hours through  and it was brilliant. I woke at 7.30 to a busy household with my sons: Alex and Laurence and my wife, Christine getting ready for the day ahead. I wasn’t used to this as I was previously first up but now the tables had turned and everyone was looking after me . Breakfast of Korean rice porridge was made and already I felt physically more able than I had done since I came into the hospital. Laurence proved to be a phenomenal cook and Alex adopted the role of nurse and fitness trainer.

I was supposed to be home for a week but pressure on beds  meant I was home for a good ten days. In that time I have put on half a stone and gone from struggling to climb the stairs to mile walks up and down inclines. I also discovered that volumising shampoo actually volumises chemo hair, even got a wave in it.

On the down side my cough has become more persistent and I can only sleep at night by lying on my stomach. In the day I can only avoid coughing fits by standing up. I’m on a course of antibiotics but I’m beginning to feel that I need to focus a lot more on breathing exercises. This may not be an infection, it may just be an inefficiency issue. which can hopefully be addressed by significant and regular breathing exercises. Who knows?

Anyway this time I know what to expect but I’m not sure it gives me any more comfort. I’m back on a ward and tomorrow I start again. I’ve not much more hair to lose and I’m fitter than when I first came in so here’s to hope and remission. Cross fingers.


Comments

  1. SimonP22 December 2021 at 13:00

    Hi sport. Hope you're ok and not suffering too badly with the chemo. Now stop slacking and crack on with the next blog. You've an impatient audience to serve.

    ReplyDelete

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