25th september-Back in the old routine.
Early start as I was getting PICC line inserted at 8:30 am and then chemo at lunchtime.Rosie gave me a lift in as she was working.Parked car at Pond Hotel and walked along the waterside to see the ducks and swans and geese just floating by without a care in the world

.Went in to the shop to buy a baguette for lunch-£2:95-daylight robbery-will make my own next time!Went and checked in at reception and was taken straight away.The nurse was called Donna and explained everything to me before carrying out the procedure.My last PICC line had been in my left arm,as I have a longstanding injury to my right arm.Donna said she would have to put it in my right arm this time,but would do her utmost to make it successful! Thankfully,everything went according to plan,although she did say it was in the top five of the most difficult ones she had had to do! I never felt any discomfort at all and was very grateful for that! I then had to go for x-ray to check the line was in place,and once it was checked out,I was good to start the chemo.
I had to have bloods taken before chemo,because the full set hadn't been checked at my clinic appointment on Monday.Meant a bit of waiting about,but again,very grateful for the proper procedures being carried out.
Eventually got taken to my area and was delighted to see the familiar faces of my nurses-I had a great deal of faith in their expertise and knowledge.I was hooked up to the anti-emetic first and then started on the new drug Irinotecan. I was warned there could be abdominal cramps and an increased flow of saliva ,but,if that was the case,I would be given an injection of Atropine to counter those effects.As it turned out,I had none of those effects.I was then hooked up to Folinic Acid in Glucose for two hours,then 5FU for ten minutes,and then the pump which would come home with me for the next forty eight hours.
During my stay I had brought in my iPad ,onto which I had downloaded some of my favourite comedy shows,namely Frasier,Still Game,and Father Ted.I actually laughed my way through the whole of my chemo-people think I am mad,but I don't care.
After getting my supplies of steroids,anti nausea meds,and anti diarrhoea meds,sharps box,dressings,appointments,it was time to go home-5pm.it had been a long day,but a lot was achieved.Rosie gave me a lift home . As I was emptying my bag,I found my baguette-I had forgotten all about it!Couldn't take it now,because it had been out of fridge all day-oh well,the dog had a wee treat!Me? , I had toast and banana  x

September 5th 2013-Going to Beatson to get result of PET scan.There are so many scenarios that I go through in my mind as to what the results will be,but there is no point in trying to second guess- the results will be known soon enough!
Bill and I took the train to Hyndland station,which is adjacent to the Beatson.We were a bit early,but I would rather be early than be rushing about at the last minute.We were eventually lead in to the doctor's room and he told us that the scan had shown three abnormalities rather than the original one.They were of a similar size and he said that surgery would probably not be an option at this point.The areas affected were in the peritoneum.My lungs and liver were clear and all the bloods I had taken were normal.
The doctor said that I would probably be best getting chemotherapy again-a slightly different regime which would not last as long as the previous one.Side effects could be diarrhoea,upset stomach,and a rash.
After we left the hospital,I was busy sending texts to family and friends-isn't technology wonderful!

The upshot is that I am now waiting to go and have another PICC line inserted and then it's back on the bandwagon! I feel I am in a better condition than I was in last time,as I had just had major surgery before the last round. Oh well,onwards and upwards.....again!

Another wee update,as it has been a while. August used to be my favourite month-my birthday is in August , and I got married in August twenty nine years ago!
I had a lovely birthday and got spoiled as usual,but my poor mum was in hospital as she had fallen and broken her leg two weeks previously,so that put a bit of a dampener on things.
Another ct scan(my routine six monthly one) was due on 9th August.I was getting used to them by now,so they held no fear for me.My clinic appointment for the result was on the 16th August,so not too long to wait for the result!A lot of my bowel cancer buddies call the feeling of waiting for results "scanxiety"-a great description.
Anyway,scan came and went, but mum was not really doing all that well-she had survived the operation but went in to renal failure.My sister , husband,and the rest of the family and I were working during the day and spending visiting  times with mum.
At 3:30 am on Friday 16th August I got a call from the hospital to say that mum had taken a turn for the worse.I phoned my sister,and we(Bill and I and Rosie) went to the hospital,only to be told mum had already passed away.I kind of suspected that,because you don't generally get a call during the night with good news!The next few hours are a bit hazy,but I did have an appointment to see my oncologist at 10am that morning and felt I shouldn't miss it.
Bill and Rosie went with me to the hospital and I was taken in to see the registrar,which is unusual because I usually see the consultant. Anyway,he told me that there was a lesion on my pelvis which would need further investigation.At this point my consultant came in to the room and explained that he did not know what the lesion was but it was highly suggestive of a secondary deposit.I was quite numb,probably because I was so tired after being rudely awakened during the night!He said it was about 2.4 cm , but I would need a PET scan to determine what it was.He also said the best option at this point would be surgery,and they would discuss my case at the MDT meeting the following Monday.
Got a lot of bloods taken,as I am still on the SCOT trial,then just went home and started to arrange mum's funeral.
The following Monday afternoon,my oncologist phoned me and said my case had been discussed at the MDT meeting.The surgeon who had done my previous surgery was there and said he would do any surgery I needed-this immediately bucked me up.because I have a great deal of faith in his expertise and judgement.
Mum's funeral went ahead on Friday -lovely service-she would have approved!
So basically.we are in limbo at the moment-I had my PET scan this afternoon (30th August) and won't get the result till next Thursday. I must admit,the scan itself was nothing to worry about-Fasting for six hours beforehand,but drinking plenty of plain water.Injection of a radioactive sugar, drinking Gastrografin,lounging about for about one hour to let the isotope circulate,then lying still on the scanning couch for about half an hour. If anyone is going for one,I would advise they take some reading material , or a personal music player. If you are in to meditation,lying on the scanning couch would be the perfect opportunity to do it! I am not in to meditation,so just lay there trying to let my mind go blank( maybe that's what meditation is!)! I was told I would be radioactive for the rest of the day,so had better keep away from folk for the moment!

A wee update

Me in the middle.with Linda and Stewart Coxe

Saturday 27th April was an exciting day for me as it was the date of Beating Bowel Cancer's annual patient day.It was held in London,so my husband and I decided to travel down a day early and make a weekend of it.We travelled first class on Virgin trains from Glasgow Central to London Euston.Was a great experience,as I had never travelled first class before.I downloaded a couple of films to my ipad for the journey,because,no matter how pleasant the journey is,it is still nearly five hours,and I get bored easily!I watched Primal Fear and then The Wedding Singer ( I know,I could probably recite it word for word,but I love it!). After arriving in sunny London,Bill suggested I buy an Oyster card,as we were going to be there for four days and it would make travelling around a lot easier.He already had one,because of his frequent trips to London for work.After buying the card,I got a chance to use it straight away on the underground.After a few stops,we were at Pimlico,and after a ten minute walk,we  checked in to the Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Pimlico.Very nice indeed! We got a welcoming warm choc chip cookie on our arrival,although we were not really hungry,having been plied with food and drink frequently on the train down!After dumping our belongings in our hotel,we went out to explore our surroundings.

MI6 headquarters were across the river,and we were next door to the Tate UK.We knew it was a bit posh where we were staying,because the empty bottles left by local revellers were of a higher class than you would see around the streets in Glasgow!

No Buckfast,or Super Lager here-only Courvoisier and Disaronno!!

Anyway,London is a great city ,and we were looking forward to the following day.

After a comfortable night,we were up and ready for the day ahead.We got the underground to Holborn,which was within walking distance of the venue-the Royal College Of Surgeons .

On arrival at the venue,we checked in and were given name badges and a programme of the days' events.A few items were of interest to me,namely, the treatment of liver mets , and the treatment of lung mets,although I don't have either of these I am glad to say.One of the main reasons for coming to London was to meet up with some of my fellow sufferers,who I had met on Twitter.A meeting was arranged for later in the day,although I did meet a few folk throughout the course of the day.The lunch was very good,considering the amount of people who were there.I couldn't fault it at all.I actually met a few of my Twitter pals at lunch.

Mark Flannagan CEO of Beating Bowel Cancer UK,Anne Carlin(me),Ed Spooner,and Paul Cox

It was an excellent day,and very well organised.It was a bit sad though,because one of our Twitter pals ,Hannah,was gravely in in a hospice.She was a real fan of OPI nail colours,so a lot of Tweeps painted their nails as a tribute to her.Unfortunately, Hannah passed away later that day -far too young.

Maggie's Centres  are fantastic places for anyone who is affected by cancer , be they a patient , a relative , or a friend . We in Glasgow are very lucky to have two centres , one based at The Western Infirmary and one at Gartnavel Hospital . To be honest , I was a bit dubious about going in as I felt I didn't really need them , but I am glad I did make the effort . I had a spare half hour between appointments for my oncologist , so decided to wander in and see what it was all about . There were a few people just sitting chatting over a cuppa , some were reading papers , some were on computers. A member of staff approached me and introduced themselves and asked if I wanted a cuppa . We sat down and had a chat and he told me of the different programmes that were on offer at Maggie's . I said I would have a think about it and get back to them . I did sign up for one session which I had heard about , "Look Good Feel Better" - a fantastic organisation which gives free advice and a free make-up demonstration to women undergoing chemo-they also provide you with a free bag of cosmetics and perfume to take home .
Maggie's also provided advice on returning to work , and actually ran a six week course entitled "Where Now? ".This is a quote from Maggie's website - "Where Now?: Finishing cancer treatment and getting on with life can be a challenge for people when hospital has become a regular part of life's routine. Where Now? is a course providing the tools to address the physical, emotional and practical needs that a person and their family may have have now that cancer treatment is over. During the six weekly sessions there is an opportunity to gain information, skills and resources to optimise your health in terms of exercise, nutrition, emotional and practical issues and medical management." They have full timetables at both their sites and are very useful .
I did eventually sign up for one of the courses and went along for six weeks . I met people there who had all been treated for various cancers and all had different stories to tell , but we all had a common bond in that we were living in limbo from one check-up to the next - nice to know you are not alone !
Talking of check-ups ( See ? This isn't just thrown together ! ) . After my course of chemo was complete , I received a date for my colonoscopy - great ! I had never had one before as I was treated as an emergency and there was no time for the finer things..
Anyway , I got the letter with all the instructions and the bowel prep - in my case it was a preparation called Klean Prep , very catchy name , very efficient product ! Had to go on a low residue diet three days before colonoscopy , then stick to fluids , only , for the next few days . Had to start taking the Klean Prep on the evening before my test - four litres of a vanilla - flavoured drink . I chose to take two litres in the evening and the rest in the morning as my scope was in the afternoon . As I said , it was a very efficient product and I took the advice which said , 'Don't stray too far from a toilet !" . My own advice , not to put too fine a point on it , would be - "Never trust a fart , because what you think is a fart might not be!" Sorry for being crude , but I believe in telling the truth !
On the day of my test , I finished the Klean Prep and continued to drink clear fluids - why is it that when you are told not to eat that that is the very time you fancy something nice!
My sister gave me a lift to the hospital and was advised to go home as I would be there for a few hours at least . After being checked in , my surgeon came to see me and said I was first on the list so wouldn't have to wait about too much . We discussed sedation and he said it was entirely up to me if I wanted it or not . I said I would rather do without it as I did not want to be dopey - I am dopey enough ! So , I had my colonoscopy without sedation . The surgeon said the procedure would not be as long as a standard colonoscopy because I had a lot of my bowel cut out . It was long enough , though ! The nurse explained that air would need to be injected in to the bowel to inflate it so that the surgeon could see the bowel - that was the uncomfortable part - felt like really bad colic . There was a screen above my head where I could watch all that was going on - quite fascinating to see the inside of your own bowel , and more exciting when you realise that it is all clear too ! I could see the anastamosis  , where the tumour had been removed , and it was lovely and clear ! The surgeon said that he was happy with the result and that I was free to go home straight away as I had had no sedation . My sister was just arriving home when I phoned her and asked her to come back for me as it was all over ! One thing I was advised though was that , as there had been a lot of air injected in to the bowel , it would need to come out again , and there was only one way that was going to happen ! To use an old Scottish expression - "Where ever you be , let your wind gang free , in church or chapel , let it rattle " , and rattle it did !!

Ho hum-How lazy I have become ! I had intended to keep this blog up to date on a regular basis , but sometimes life just takes over ! Since I have been asked by a few people what has happened , I had better try to update things . I am not going to list all my chemo days and treatments , because I am one of the lucky ones , in that I never had any horrendous side effects or problems along the way - I was prescribed twelve treatments and that is what I got . Towards the eighth treatment I was feeling the neuropathy really badly, so the doctor said he would reduce the dose slightly. I must admit that I felt if I was getting a reduced dose I would not be getting the full treatment , but the doc reassured me that I would still be getting a therapeutic dose . During my treatments , I managed to pop up to my work place to visit my buddies and colleagues - they were such a tremendous support when I was sick and it was lovely to see them all and get loads of hugs-very therapeutic!

My colleagues after the Race For Life in Glasgow 2012

Every year for the past five or six years , I have taken part in Race For Life in Glasgow , which is a wonderful and very moving experience . A whole lot of women , all shapes and sizes , and a sea of pink! I usually walk the course (I am built for comfort rather than speed ) anyway , it is not important how quickly you finish , it is the taking part that counts . This year I was fully intending to take part , but was dismayed when I couldn't manage it because of the chemo and neuropathy . I was annoyed because I had said I was not going to let this thing beat me . I was deeply moved when I heard that my colleagues were going to do the race , and was delighted when they raised in total well over two thousand pounds for Cancer Research UK . Thank you "Annie's' Stars!" I am so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends ! I fully intend to take part in it in 2013 - just try and stop me!

Carolyn on her graduation day - she is a clever girl!

I was also very touched by a get well card I received in May . The senders' address was Mark Trevorrow.... Now anyone who knows me will know that I am crazy fan of the Australian comedian Bob Downe , whose real name is Mark Trevorrow . I thought to myself  " What's going on here - am I imagining things?". My hero had sent me a get well card and written a lovely message inside , all the way from Melbourne , Australia ! I couldn't imagine who had arranged this lovely surprise , but I had my suspicions ! A few days later , my friend Carolyn sent me a message asking if Bob had been in touch - mystery solved ! Carolyn is a big Bob fan too and she had sent him a message on Facebook asking him if he could send me a message . Nobody will ever be able to imagine how happy that card made me - just the boost I needed ! I am eternally grateful to Carolyn for arranging it and eternally grateful to Mark for taking the time out of his schedule to send it.

Me and my hero Mark Trevorrow aka Bob Downe after his performance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

I have been a fan of Liz Earle skin care products for over ten years now.While I was having chemo , my skin became very dry , especially on my hands and feet . I found her stuff was very useful in preventing any problems . Her shampoo was so gentle , which was a bonus for my thinning hair! She launched a new range of cosmetics and I was lucky enough to be invited along to the launch in Glasgow , shortly after I had chemo- I wasn't going to go because I didn't feel at my best , but was glad I did because I got the chance to meet her and chat about her range . She was so lovely to speak to and seemed genuinely interested .

Me and Liz Earle

Before

After

After my final chemo in mid-June 2012 , it was time to have my PICC line removed . It had been my companion for the past six months and had served me well - no blockages or infections , and hand't migrated too far from its' original place ! The plan was to go back to the hospital on the Friday that my last 5FU infusion was due to complete , and the nurse would remove the line as well as the pump . I was a bit nervous about how this would be done as I knew it was pretty long . I needn't have worried . I went to the hospital at the allotted time and was taken straight away.The nurse removed the infusion line and said she would now remove the PICC . I sat in the chair waiting for something spectacular to happen , but there were no fireworks or shocks ! I never felt it getting removed at all and was surprised when she told me that it was out ! Goodbye old friend.....

Monday 6th February 2012 - Usual clinic for blood tests and chat with doctor to see how I was coping with chemo. I reported that I had experienced severe pain in my fingertips after I took some wet washing out of the machine - the combination of cold and wet is enough to trigger off the neuropathy. I was also noticing the corners of my mouth were getting sore and cracked. I knew it was chemo - related , so was not too worried . The doctor said he would continue with the same dose of chemo and would continue to monitor side effects as the dose could be adjusted if the effects were getting too unbearable for me. I was aware that the side effects were going to get worse as time went on , but there was no point in worrying about it till it happened!.

All the information you need in one handy booklet!

Wednesday 8th February 2012 - Chemo day again - number three of twelve . Chemo patients are given a record book to carry about with them . It contains a record of all treatments given and also has a space for them to record any side effects they have experienced . There is also a list of contact numbers if there are any worries . The only thing I would say about this booklet is that it tends to make you focus too much on your illness and side effects of chemo- Asking all sorts of questions about severity of side effects.I realise that it is a useful tool for people to keep a note for the doctor , but I felt it wasn't right for me. I just wanted to get on with things and not let it rule my life.

Some questions

This is my own personal view , and I am sure a lot of people will disagree.That is fine by me - I won't be offended!
The chemo went off without incident , and I watched my usual comedy DVDs .
 Hooked up to the 5FU again , I went home to watch my new favourite TV show Pointless !