This is Deb's current medication:
1 1 x omeprazone capsule (20mg) - reduces amount of acid produced in stomach. Relieves & prevents heartburn and ulcers.
2 2 x dexamethasone tablets (3mg) - synthetic steroids for treating swelling on the brain.
3 1 x bisopronol fumerate tablet (5mg) - beta blocker - slows the heart rate and reduces blood pressure (to prevent palpitations)
4 1 x alendronic acid tablet (70mg - once per week) - bisphosphonate - prevnets loss and helps to rebuild bone (osteoporosis).
5 2 x calcichew D3forte tablets (500mg) - combination of calcium and vitamin D to keep bones healthy (osteoporosis)
6 1 x temozolomide capsule (100mg) - chemotherapy treatment for brain tumour
7 Paracetamol as required.
Thursday 28 May 2009
23 May 2009 - Deb's 50th Birthday Party
Deb's birthday toast ( approximately - some I don't remember so well)
"We are here today to celebrate Deb's 50th birthday. During 29 of those 50 years Deb has lived with me and during that time we have had 2 children, 3 houses and 11 cars. Generally we have enjoyed our time together. We have enjoyed bringing up our children (the early years at least), our walking, we have had some great holidays together and we enjoy our football. 20 years ago last month we moved into this house. That was a really good move for us. We have had good times here and made some great friends. So today should be a time of celebration but unfortunately on this day last year instead of driving up to North Yorkshire for a walking holiday we were sat in A&E at Good Hope Hospital being told that Deb had a brain tumour. This event has cast a long shadow over the past year and has turned what should have been a joyous occasion into one tinged with sadness.
When I first met Deb I was attracted to her energy, enthusiasm and life force. Despite the events of the past year it seems to me that these qualities remain largely undiminished. So if anybody deserves a happy birthday it is Deb. So please raise your glasses and join with me in wishing Deb a happy 50th birthday."
15 - 18 May 2009 - Deb and the Tattersall women have a weekend in Instow, North Devon
Deb and her sisters and her sisters-in-law and their female children had a long weekend in a house in Instow, Devon to celebrate Deb's and Julie's birthdays.Outside the house at Instow
The karaoke evening
Deb and Julie combined birthday cake - 90 candles
8 May 2009 - Update on things medical
Tumour:
Saw Dr Sanghera at QE on 5 May 2009. This was a tiring day. We had a long wait for the blood test, then a long wait for the results. Because of the bank holiday, the clinic was in the Neurosciences outpatient department and not the Cancer Centre. When we got there the waiting room was full and there was another long delay. Appointment was at 10:00 am but saw Dr Sanghera at about 1:00 pm.
Blood test results were good. (WBC = 10.0; RBC = 4.12 [slightly low]; PLT 347). Chemotherapy to be continued on a daily basis for another month. Next MRI scan on 22 May and next appointment with Dr Sanghera on 1 June.
We discussed the fact that the first anniversary of diagnosis of the tumour would be on the 23 May. The statistics for glioblastomas state that the average length of time between diagnosis and relapse is about 15 months. So the anniversary brings mixed feelings: it is good that Deb has been relatively well without effects from the tumour for a whole year but you also worry that time is marching on. Dr Sanghera re-empasised that everyone was different, that an average is only an average and that he was pleased with Deb's progress so far. We discussed Deb's headaches. He told her not to put up with the pain (Deb has a reluctance to take more tablets) and not to hesitate to take paracetamol. If the headaches get worse we could put up the steroid dose but Deb does not want this. I raised the issue of new treatments. I had read on the internet that new treatment therapies for glioblastoma such as Avastin and CPT-11 had shown promising results in trials. Dr S was aware of these. The QE is in the process of obtaining a license to trial Avastin and it is possible that this may be available to Deb if there is a relapse of the tumour.
Osteoporosis:
Deb has been experiencing some back pain and because one of the side effects from the steroids can be osteoporosis our GP arranged a bone density scan. Deb had the scan on 6 May at Good Hope and we got the results from the GP on 19 May. These found that Deb was osteoporotic. The scan result was 2.6 (anyone with a result of more than 2 is deemed to be at risk from osteoporosis). The doctor has put Deb on biphosphonate tablets (one per week) and calcium tablets.
Cardiology:
Following Deb's ECGs taken during a palpitation, we saw the cardiologist ( Dr Shui Hao) at Good Hope on 8 May. We discussed whether the beta blockers were working. Deb has had further palpitations but these have been mild and of short duration. Deb's heart rate is already slow and the doctor was reluctant to increase the dose. If the palpitations continue we may have to change the medication (or have a small operation!). Deb is to return to Good Hope on the 3 June for an ultrasound scan of the heart and wear a 24 hour monitor before any further decisions are made. All this is a bit of a pain. It has nothing to do with the tumour, is not life threatening and something Deb has lived with for 20 years. Is it really worth all this effort?
Saw Dr Sanghera at QE on 5 May 2009. This was a tiring day. We had a long wait for the blood test, then a long wait for the results. Because of the bank holiday, the clinic was in the Neurosciences outpatient department and not the Cancer Centre. When we got there the waiting room was full and there was another long delay. Appointment was at 10:00 am but saw Dr Sanghera at about 1:00 pm.
Blood test results were good. (WBC = 10.0; RBC = 4.12 [slightly low]; PLT 347). Chemotherapy to be continued on a daily basis for another month. Next MRI scan on 22 May and next appointment with Dr Sanghera on 1 June.
We discussed the fact that the first anniversary of diagnosis of the tumour would be on the 23 May. The statistics for glioblastomas state that the average length of time between diagnosis and relapse is about 15 months. So the anniversary brings mixed feelings: it is good that Deb has been relatively well without effects from the tumour for a whole year but you also worry that time is marching on. Dr Sanghera re-empasised that everyone was different, that an average is only an average and that he was pleased with Deb's progress so far. We discussed Deb's headaches. He told her not to put up with the pain (Deb has a reluctance to take more tablets) and not to hesitate to take paracetamol. If the headaches get worse we could put up the steroid dose but Deb does not want this. I raised the issue of new treatments. I had read on the internet that new treatment therapies for glioblastoma such as Avastin and CPT-11 had shown promising results in trials. Dr S was aware of these. The QE is in the process of obtaining a license to trial Avastin and it is possible that this may be available to Deb if there is a relapse of the tumour.
Osteoporosis:
Deb has been experiencing some back pain and because one of the side effects from the steroids can be osteoporosis our GP arranged a bone density scan. Deb had the scan on 6 May at Good Hope and we got the results from the GP on 19 May. These found that Deb was osteoporotic. The scan result was 2.6 (anyone with a result of more than 2 is deemed to be at risk from osteoporosis). The doctor has put Deb on biphosphonate tablets (one per week) and calcium tablets.
Cardiology:
Following Deb's ECGs taken during a palpitation, we saw the cardiologist ( Dr Shui Hao) at Good Hope on 8 May. We discussed whether the beta blockers were working. Deb has had further palpitations but these have been mild and of short duration. Deb's heart rate is already slow and the doctor was reluctant to increase the dose. If the palpitations continue we may have to change the medication (or have a small operation!). Deb is to return to Good Hope on the 3 June for an ultrasound scan of the heart and wear a 24 hour monitor before any further decisions are made. All this is a bit of a pain. It has nothing to do with the tumour, is not life threatening and something Deb has lived with for 20 years. Is it really worth all this effort?
Thursday 14 May 2009
25 April - 1 May: Holiday in Anglesey
Telford's suspension bridge linking Anglesey to the mainland
The landscape behind the village of Penysarn, Angelsey
Parys mountain on Anglesey was rich in copper and heavily mined in the 18th and 19th centuries (it provided the copper for the hull of HMS Victory). It was once the biggest man made hole in Europe. Now just an eyesore. The building on top of the hill is the remains of an old windmill used for pumping water from the mine workings. The cottage where we stayed in Penysarn had great views of this.
Newborough Beach, AngleseyThe best place in Anglesey - fantastic crescent of sand with the mountains of Snowdonia behind.
Anglesey would not be in my list of top places to visit. Nowhere to eat out, nowhere to buy anything decent to eat in, uninteresting scenery, plenty of birds - stay on the A5 and catch the ferry to Dublin.
Anglesey would not be in my list of top places to visit. Nowhere to eat out, nowhere to buy anything decent to eat in, uninteresting scenery, plenty of birds - stay on the A5 and catch the ferry to Dublin.
April 2009 - Pictures
20 April - Cherry tree in back garden in full bloom A very good year for cherry blossom -the weight has bent the branches towards the ground
20 April - Dogs with their chew
14 April - Dogs in the sea
Visited Kay and Mike for the weekend and went to Tenby for the day. The dogs first taste of the sea.
(Isnt it funny the things you remember - or perhaps more significantly the things you forget. I cannot remember the first time I saw the sea. You would think a momentous event like that would be seared into your brain for life. )
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