125 – Treating Margaret’s Cancer, Part 2: 22 December 2024



I used these two photos in yesterday's Blog Number 124 posted on 21 December 2024.  I like them so much I am using them again in this Blog, but I am putting yesterday's second photo in first place.  

As I said yesterday, I took this photo of Margaret in 2001 for our housewarming celebration.  Margaret looks so very healthy and beautiful.

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In this 2001 photo, Margaret was 51 years old and so full of life.  She definitely had no cancer inside her when we had our house warming celebration.  If you look closely at Margaret’s eyes, you will notice she has no eyebrows.  Her eyebrows disappeared when she started mixing up chemotherapy for her patients as directed by the treating doctors.  In these two photos, Margaret’s “eyebrows” have been replaced by makeup.

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Before the chemotherapy could start on 7 December 2020, a plastic tube had to be inserted into Margaret’s arm and manoeuvred into the position specified by the treating doctors.  The insertion of the treatment tube was supposed to be performed by a doctor at Dr Jones & Partners in the building where the cancer clinic was located. 

I drove Margaret to Dr Jones & Partners in the morning.  Chemotherapy was scheduled to start in the afternoon.  I waited while Margaret was taken for the procedure.  After about 30 minutes, Margaret was escorted back to me by a nurse.  The doctor at Dr Jones & Partners had been unable to carry out the procedure.  The nurse was extremely kind and made phone calls to find somewhere that would be able to do this procedure that had to be carried out before any chemotherapy could commence.  She found a private hospital in central Adelaide which would carry out the procedure that day before the scheduled chemotherapy.

I drove into the city and to the hospital.  When it was over, Margaret told me that the tube insertion procedure had been done successfully – but not by a doctor.  The nurses at the private hospital had successfully done what the doctor at Dr Jones & Partners had been unable to do.

I drove back to the clinic so Margaret could have the first session of chemotherapy.  This first session of chemotherapy was in effect a “test run”.  Margaret had to be under medical supervision throughout the first few hours of the chemotherapy in case she had an adverse reaction. 

I sat in a chair next to Margaret while the chemotherapy dripped into her.  Unexpectedly, my phone rang.  The nurse from Dr Jones & Partners asked if the procedure at the city hospital had gone as hoped.  I gratefully told her that all was well, we were in the same building and Margaret was having the chemotherapy at that very moment.

I do not know the name of the nurse who enabled Margaret’s chemotherapy to take place without it being delayed by the initial failure to insert the chemotherapy tube.  I do not know your name, but I can say a heartfelt “Thank you” to this kind hearted stranger who truly cared about the fate of someone she had never met before and might never meet again.  “Thank you”.

We had arrived at the clinic at about 8.00 am on Monday 7 December 2020.  We finally got home at about 6.00 pm.  I was exhausted and I did not endure the procedures to insert the chemotherapy tube, the radiotherapy or the chemotherapy.  Margaret was so tired she could barely move.

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Fortunately, the remaining weeks of the treatment did not require such extremely long days.  For the most part, the daily administration of the radiotherapy took only about 30 minutes once we got to the clinic. 

Our daily trips to the radiotherapy clinic definitely had an unnerving element.  The treatment took place in the 3 weeks leading up to the Christmas festive season and all of the clinics in the complex were decorated with Christmas decorations. 

I felt no trace of festive emotion.  I only wanted my wife to be able to live.  That was the only Christmas gift I wanted.  Nothing else mattered.

Showering was difficult during the treatment. 

Margaret had to completely cover her arm so water could not get into her medical incisions.

I insisted on being present in the bathroom while Margaret showered.  She was extremely weak and I was terrified that she might fall while showering.  Fortunately, this did not happen.

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As detailed in Blog 124, the first week of the treatment saw us do a daily pilgrimage so Margaret could be hit with radiation that would (we hoped) wipe out the cancer.  Treatments took place on these days in week one.

·                                Monday 7 December 2020;

·                                Tuesday 8 December 2020;

·                                Wednesday 9 December 2020;

·                                Thursday 10 December 2020; and

·                                Friday 11 December 2020.

 

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In week two, the chemotherapy bag was exhausted by Monday 14 December so Margaret had two medical procedures that day – replacement of the chemotherapy bag plus another zap of radiotherapy.  I found this week so very difficult.  There were Christmas decorations everywhere and Margaret was receiving treatment that might – if we were lucky – give her another few months of life.  I had no joy in my heart.  Treatments took place on the following dates.

·                                Monday 14 December 2020;

·                                Tuesday 15 December 2020;

·                                Wednesday 16 December 2020;

·                                Thursday 17 December 2020; and

·                                Friday 18 December 2020.

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Week 3 saw replacement of the chemotherapy bag on Monday 21 December and radiotherapy on these dates.

·                                Monday 21 December 2020;

·                                Tuesday 22 December 2020;

·                                Wednesday 23 December 2020; and

·                                Thursday 24 December 2020.

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Friday 25 December was a public holiday and there was no treatment.  I cannot remember what we did to “celebrate” Christmas.  

The next batch of treatments started on Monday 28 December when the chemotherapy bag was replaced and more radiotherapy administered.  That week the treatments were on these dates.

·                                Monday 28 December 2020; and

·                                Tuesday 29 December 2020.

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The week 5 treatments were delayed by the New Year celebrations.  The chemotherapy bag was replaced on Monday 4 January 2021 and radiotherapy administered on these dates.

·                                Monday 4 January 2021;

·                                Tuesday 5 January 2021;

·                                Wednesday 6 January 2021;

·                                Thursday 7 January 2021; and

·                                Friday 8 January 2021.

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Week 6 saw the treatments revert to a more regular pattern.  The chemotherapy bag was replaced on Monday 11 January and the radiotherapy reverted to daily.

·                                Monday 11 January 2021;

·                                Tuesday 12 January 2021;

·                                Wednesday 13 January 2021;

·                                Thursday 14 January 2021; and

·                                Friday 15 January 2021.

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Week 7 was the final treatment week.  The chemotherapy bag was replaced on Monday 18 January and the 3 final radiotherapy sessions took place as follows.

·                                Monday18 January 2021;

·                                Tuesday 19 January 2021; and

·                                Wednesday 20 January 2021.

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Our festive season was utterly horrible.

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