So here we are in my week off Chemo and days 12 - 16 which have been eventful in a number of ways.
Monday 12th
I spoke to my Senior Diabetes Nurse (Jen now) who, having seen my Blood Sugar results, suggested we should once again concentrate on just having the Lantus insulin at bedtime to get my morning Blood sugars down to 5 - 7 mmols. I did express some concerns that despite the high volume of fluids I was drinking I was not passing much urine. I feared I might be in retention, especially as I was still in positive fluid balance after my first Chemo session. She discussed this with my GP, and after a few additional questions was happy that I should be OK - unless I developed other symptoms like a distended bladder or lower abdominal pain. I did admit though, that I need to get up 3 times at night (and don't always make it in time) and pass good amounts of urine.
Tuesday 13th
I hit another hurdle. I had just finished shopping in Morrisons and was sitting on my Chariot (mobility Scooter) and twisted to lift a bag of shopping from the floor to put in the foot well. Big Mistake! I felt my back go and a pain shoot down my left leg. After a bumpy and painful ride home it was a relief to lie down and stretch out.
Wednesday 17th/Thursday 18th
Unfortunately this injjury limited any activity for the next couple of days, and I fear the pain also increased my blood sugars as they crept back up to above 17, at this stage I couldn't blame the steroids as they would have been gone from my system.
I have decided to put all my Blood sugars, Insulin dosages, Chemo Side-effects and changes in my MS Symptoms on a spreadsheet which is making it so much easier to keep track of everything.
Friday 19th
Another chat with Jen, who, having seen the spreadsheet is concerned my Blood sugars are now high almost all the time. She now feels I should go back to having some Novorapid insulin before meals. I am a bit annoyed as I really do not eat very much at all, although I do drink a few Mugs of Milk.
Today I had a bowl of 'Free From' Cornflakes, a couple of Sugar Free Biscuits, and for Dinner a piece of Smoked Haddock and a Poached Egg on one slice of toast. I gave myself 8 units of insulin before dinner when my sugar reading was 12.9 mmols. I check it again when I go to bed at 7.30, before Supper of Cheese, Nuts and some Fruit (gooseberries). I then check it again before I go to sleep and give myself Lantus insulin which I am gradually increasing the dose - tonight it will be 20 units.
I am also now back on regular Rebif which will hopefully dampen down any nasty MS symptoms potentially triggered by the Chemo- I don't want the MS 'Treacle Legs' that came on after my blood test last Wednesday.
So, what delights do I have next week? Well, three trips to the hospital are definitely on the calendar.
Tuesday - Blood Test
Wednesday - Oncology Outpatients
Thursday - Chemo Session 2 Day 1 commences, with a 6 hour session, so another load of fluid and the two Boris Busting Chemo Drugs.
Plus of course, back permitting I will definitely go Swimming tomorrow!
