Just when I ‘think’ my life is back to normal and I can put the last year to rest!! BANG procedure after procedure! Today I endured a lumbar puncture with chemo, shit it was soooooo painful I will explain (more for people following my blog, that have the same early stages of treatment) not the sorry vote! I was slightly worried about this, which is unlike me, so consulted my friend Stacey, who I have met through my blog and has only come out of Southampton recently, so is behind me in treatment, but has had one and told me it is not as bad as bone marrow biopsies, of which I have had 7, also my consultant confirmed this as well, but hey everyone is different. How it works is a hollow needle is inserted between 2 of the spinal bones to take a sample of the spinal fluid and to inject chemotherapy in case the leukemia has spread to the spinal fluid, running into your brain! NICE!

My faithful, supportive Zig took me today and I skipped along quite merrily, resplendent in matching grey and pink, thinking it will be ‘A walk in the park’ and managed to stop off at ‘John Lewis, at home’ en route.

We arrived at The Fernhurst Centre, my old address, it was banged out with sick people reminding me! Anyway it wasn’t long before I met up with all my old chums (nurses, axillary, sisters, matrons, receptionists, cleaners etc) and was having a lovely social time, for any of you reading this, I Bloody loved seeing you all today and am so grateful for everything you have done for me!

The Fernhurst was so busy, as cancer is on the increase, that we waited for an hour and all the time I was thinking ‘I do hope Dr Janes isn’t too stressed and has had lunch, so holds that needle bloody steady.

As I go into the treatment room, I so wish I am about to have a facial or even a bit of waxing, Lizzie arrives, I love her she is Staff Nurse and last time I saw her she was 8 months pregnant, now slim as a pin, which I comment on and she is quite beautiful and informs me she is wearing big tights and pants, this puts me at ease and I relax, explaining my perfume and outfit.

Dr Janes arrives and the chat and the smile is wiped completely. Entinox has been wheeled in and I start to slug and enjoy, I am then told to curl into a ball as tight as possible, as the more curled the less pain and easier to insert needle, I try so hard, but have slight pain in my hip, anyway off we go, I am fairly high by this point and in goes the local anaesthetic, shit I say in between burping that is hurting, yes Dr Janes replies I cant get in, curl more as it widens the spinal cavity, I now want to cry and hate everything! eventually in and all chemo pumped through and needle removed, I then have to lie flat for an hour for the chemo to reach my brain! the side affects are a headache and for that drink plenty, of which I am doing 🙂

Tomorrows another day and that will be at Southampton having another infusion of my darling sisters cells, which are the last in the freezer! She has been called, once again, to go back in to give more! HOW WILL I EVER REPAY HER?????