Had a few giggles, a lovely lunch and my weekly constitutional walk around the gardens.
Fabulous.
I spoke with my McMillan Nurse, with regards to the pain, well, a new anti sickness medication has been prescribed, this should allow me to take more morphine, and as I do, I should be able to increase the amount of morphine that I take and then maybe go on the patches again with the oral morphine.....just need to wait and see now.
Well....here I am, thinking,
'You're terminally ill, you have got cancer, and you will be dead by the end of the year, if not before....what else can go wrong?'
Seems that there is LOADS of stuff that could go wrong and make things worse!
Of course, pain is one....but there is more!!!
In bloody credible!
What a bag of bollocks!!
When I was speaking to my McMillan Nurse, I mentioned that the top of my legs felt like the knicker elastic was tight in the leg bits, giving me pins and needles....(I don't have leg knicker elastic). I also mentioned that very occasionally, my left knee gives way when I am walking and that my back pain had not decreased.....and bowels/bladder, (we have already discussed this).
As quick as a flash, she said, now this could be serious, and explained some stuff that I will go into a bit later in this blog.
Any way, she examined my back. Did a bit of gentle tapping..........
Seems that there is nothing to worry to much about, but I have been told that I must MENTION THIS TO MY doctor ASAP!
Well, I am going on Monday any way, because I think that I have a bloody ear infection!
OK, that's by the by......
The thing that my Nurse was concerned with is associated with bone cancer, which, as you know, is one of mine......(bless, made it sound like a pet or something!)
Swiftly moving on.......
Spinal Cord Compression.
Not common, but affects 1:20 people who have cancer.
Warning signs.
Pain in spine affecting chest/belly positional sleep.
Tingling numbness like pins and needles in arms/legs/spine
Electric shocks in similar places.
Legs giving way, wobbly legs, difficulty walking.
Spinal cord compression, if untreated or there is a delay in treatment can lead to permanent damage and even paralysis.
If you feel that this may be you....please go and see some one immediately!
NO MUCKING ABOUT, GET IT CHECKED!
For more information go to the McMillan website, the link is in 'my other places' on the right of this blog some where.
Radiotherapy/surgery/chemo would be options for treatment.
Any way.......after my nurse gave me an examination, she said that all appeared to be OK, but wanted me to be checked by my Doctor.
She also said that she was making me aware of the consequences of ignoring something like this, and said that she was being particularly firm with me.........
the implication being that I have an aversion to taking anything seriously if it means that I need to go to a Doctor or a hospital, when I want to go out and play!
Well, she isn't wrong, so I promise that I will have it checked out on Monday, which is the earliest appointment.
Have a great day tomorrow, and a fantastic week end!
7 comments:
Thank goodness for firm nurses. They are so essential. I'm glad to hear she gave you immediate attention.
Catherine
Hi Catherine, yes, they are fantastic nurses, and they adapt their approach to suit individual patients...(subtle is lost on me!)
Hi Carol..me again lol
I'm glad you are going to get it checked out, my sister had spinal cord depression :( but she had a brain tumour, so different cancer Carol, you just make sure you take care of you ((hugs))
Have a nice weekend and I hope your new meds work well for you.
Love Sally xxxx
Hi Sally....
Lovely to hear from you!
I will get it checked, but I am pretty certain that all is well on the western front! Just need confirmation.
How did you sister cope when she found out for sure?
HUgs back x
Hi Carol, I know I shouldn't be commenting on anything medical ...but my sister was very ill with her spinal cord compression. It started with her being very sleepy and in pain in her back, she could not move by herself and the nurses and me had to move her very slowly. Her legs were weak.
but more worrying was her inability to move by herself...she knew something was very wrong and couldn't manage toMove her legs at all.
I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this carol but my sister was unable to accept her illness and refused to talk to the doctors. She gave me permission to discuss her illness and any treatments. She did not want to know the truth and asked me to never tell her anything scary. She felt alone as her partner had walked away from her...It was hard to keep things from her because of the changes in her health.
I will be honest Carol ..the day my sister had all of the symptoms of spinal cord compression she just couldn't move her legs...and the nurses at the nursing home made her comfortable with pain relief.
But true to form the next day she was awake and although unable to walk etc she was enjoying her take aways that I used to bring her :) she was always adamant she would walk again.
I'm thinking of you Carol as always xxx
I would like to mail you...do you have any way of mailing ? I don't want you to have to put your address here but I can put mine here for you :) it's would be nice to stay in touch although I totally understand if you would rather not ...
Poppywinterwitch@yahoo.co.uk
Hugs
Love Sally xxxxx
Hi Sally, will email you.Couldn't remove your email ad, from comment though, sorry.
Carol
That's ok carol it's only an old work one but I will check for your mail and come back to you xxxx
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