16 May 2011 - Cancer Centre, Old QEH

Sorry, I haven't updated the blog for a while. I seem to be writing the same words each time. Still no change is a good thing.

To catch up. Deb has now completed six cycles of PCV chemotherapy. The effects of the chemotherapy are cumulative and during each successive cycle she has suffered worse side effects. During the last cycle she was physically sick several times and has felt sick all of the time. As a result she has not eaten very much and during the 2 weeks she was actually taking the chemo she suffered from general tiredness and spent long periods either in bed or resting. When she finished taking the drugs she improved significantly but unfortunately almost immediately got a throat infection which she has found difficult to shake off. Despite all this we managed to have a good long weekend in Torcross, South Devon with the Thomases and the Keeleys.

Deb had her mid-cycle visit to the Cancer Centre on 18 April. She had a blood test and results were good (WBC = 3.2, RBC = 3.16, PTS = 120).

We also saw the results of the MRI scan Deb had on 14 April. Results were very good and essentially the tumour was the same size as the scan taken 3 months ago. This was Deb's 15th MRI scan since diagnosis in May 2008.

Last Monday we visited the Cancer Centre for the start of Deb's 7th cycle of PCV. We saw DR Caroline Connolly, Registrar. The blood tests results were poor (WBC = 3.5, RBC = 2.7, PLT = 43). The platelet count at 43 was the lowest Deb has had. It was agreed Deb would delay the start of chemo for a week to give her platelets a chance to recover. The doctor explained that the cells in our blood live for only 7 - 10 days and are constantly being replaced by new cells from the bone marrow. The chemotherapy interferes with the production of these cells. The effects are cumulative and after each cycle the body takes longer to get back to full production. At some point the body will not be able to recover and then the chemo will have to be stopped.

So we return to the QE next Monday for another blood test and hopefully the 7th cycle of chemo.