quick update

This is proving a very tough week n half, so please excuse the lack of updates here. i am still not up to much so will keep it short. The pain is intermittent and if i stay at the right angle not bad, so lets try get some of this down!
I came back to the unit Thurs night to be IV dripped with the bicarbonate. Methotrexate chemo started Friday morning through the twin IV line. From outset i had an added problem - my abdomen was swollen and painful. Most likely i was constipated from the chemo drugs the week before, so they increased the laxatives i was being given. I was fed up as had made a conscious effort to avoid repeating this from cycle 1. Metho finished on sat morning, and bicarb drip continued. From late sun i started flonic acid therapy, that ceased on weds. Then one spinal injection yesterday.
So that's the therapy sorted, but in the mean time i have been lying groaning like the greediest person on Xmas evening who just couldn't stop at the turkey, you know the feeling? i am not sure i will ever over eat again! My stomach was an impressive size - should have had a camera. It reminds me of a game we used to play after a massive meal in the "animal" house: who could push their gut out the furthest? John, Ian, Ben and myself were always close, Tony however won every time on extremes - as his went furthest in than anyone!
joking apart though every minute has been a struggle, as unlike Xmas the swelling never went down.
Like before in cycle one ("Soda Bomb") i got pretty alarmed when they tripled the levels of bicarb in the drip. This is because my blood was a bit acidic. I kept thinking "can my body really take ALL this s#'t?". I am still wondering.

Added is that this cycle the Metho has directly effected at least my stomach. Feels like fire much of the time, and then has deep stab/shooting pains which can be hard ot stop. Was like this til Weds. Nothing improved until then, when after a rethink on Tues i was given senna to "push". First dose was midnight tues and i upped the ante with a bowl of stewed prunes weds morning, something I have never eaten them before. After a busy day lets say there had been a success in that area!

So that is good and has given me some relief, but no let up in the cramps and stomach pain.
Mouth is decayed but not as bad as the first time.