Week 3 of prostate treatment

Week 3

●  Day 10 Monday 5th May Bank holiday so no treatment. So, camera packed I went to Calke village & walked to the Abbey taking photo’s as I went around, the weather was great and the waking, although hard work was enjoyable.
● Day 10 Tuesday 6th May Alan called for me 08:25, we have a second passenger to collect in Coleshill, would I sit in the back? We went to Burton to pick up A38, & at the Branston junction we saw the road was full of stationary traffic in both lanes.. We headed for Rangemore to pick up a road to Lichfield…along with a lot of other drivers. An incident as the police would have it had taken place with 7 vehicles in collision somewhere between Alrewas & Lichfield. After several detours and holdups we arrived in Lichfield 2 hours later. Alan phoned, Oops, I phoned his base as his phone was not working correctly, he reported the problem. Later he was told to just take me in as other arrangements were being made for the second passenger. Another 50 odd minutes went by before we arrived at Q E. I did the enema thing, only to find out that room 6 was delayed by 45-60 minutes. I was eventually seen at 12:45 “Please make haste as we are behind and others are waiting” was my greeting which suited me as I had had enough. 13:15, I was met by Alan at reception, was I ready to go? Yes but toilet visit first please, I could feel a gas build-up, I was not prepared to let that one out in a car. We left the Q E 13:25, we had a lady to take to King’s Standing first, then go find the Tamworth road for M42. Once on the motorway, my eyes felt like lead, I just blacked out until we reached home. 14:55, a long and very tiring half day out.
● Day 11 Wednesday 7th May 08:25 Alan called ,we're of to Tamworth for a second passenger, collected 09:05 man & wife he is the patient. Arrive Q E 09:50. 10:15 enema thing etc. done, just wait, and wait. 12:45 called into scanning room, I asked about the delay the answer I was given should have been expected as an ambulance patient, I am A M or P M, with no specified time, so I have to be fitted in as and when, just do the enema thing, and knock on the door to say hello, I will then be told at some time later when to drink. The card in the holder now is not good enough. Theses are the new rules now, I have been lucky in the past. 13:30(Ish) Collected by Alan, I’m a back seat job, we are to pick up a chair-bound passenger from the other side of the hospital. I arrive back home 14:55 feeling somewhat jaded boredom I think .Lunch then to the shops, I felt life coming back after too much sitting doing nothing. It’s another day tomorrow.
● Day 12 Thursday 8th May 08:25 Alan picked me up, off to Tamworth again for the same people. Arrive  at Q E  09:50 I did the enema thing & went to tell the operatives ‘I was here’ promptly ushered out,as I was in a restricted area Seems I just can’t win for trying to do the right thing. All seemed well at the scan. There seems to be no time as such for pleasantries, it’s all business and very polite. I do try to make light of the formalities, joking about bad memories, having a tattoo on my head so they can red the information needed. Lead balloons come to mind. Oh well, as long as the job is done I can live with it.  I was told to start drinking at 10:25, as this would give the required amount of liquid in my bladder The scan took place 10:55, yet again I drifted off which is no bad thing really. It is surprising how comfortable a hard slab can be. Alan was due back in around 12:00 returning from Telford (these guys do get around), I travelled back home with the same folk on the inward trip. I arrived home for lunch 13:00. I did drop off for a short nap top end of M42 but that was no surprise to us. Apart from the general tiredness there are no side effects that I can feel.

● Day 13  Friday 9th May Collected by Alan then off to Lichfield again. Arrive Q E 09:50 did the enema thing. I was going to call to the ‘office’ to say hello when I was called for, I was told to hang on for a good half hour to have a drink as I would be seen at 11:15. I said I was thirsty, so I could have a beaker of water now, and have the other 3 as required. It was agreed, then about 3 minutes later I was called again and told to empty my bladder again at 10:35, then have the 4 beakers within the 5 minutes. I remarked that it was a good job I had spare catheters with me, otherwise I would not be able to comply. I explained that I was down to my last 3 days supply, and by Monday morning I would be out should delivery fail. It made no difference, in not so many words, the reply was ‘Just do it’ . So, I just did it, emptying the bladder so soon after the enema thing I hardly produced a cup full, a complete waste of a catheter. The scan was the usual thing but for a pair of very,  very cold hands, grabbing me here ,there and everywhere I was put through the treatment, no problem slept through it mostly. I was ready to go home by 11:40 but had to wait until 13:10. We were going to Lichfield to drop off 2 passengers, this we did then coming back home Alan decided he knew better than his sat-nav, after a long circuitous trip around Lichfield  a drive into Burton (instead of the shortcut I recommended) I got home by 15:00. I can now look forward to a weekend off