OK, the title is bad pun on a corny tag line from an even cornier
old TV show. But it's 5 in the bloody morning so what do you expect? A sense of humour bigger than Ricardo Montalbán's pecs?
Yes, I've been woken by the cancer pain. For a long time it's been quite nicely under control, but just in the last 4 days or so, not long after my returning cancer was confirmed, the pain has been consistently starting to spiral up again.
Partly this may be increased tension within me after last Monday's poor diagnosis, which often adds physical tension to my body. I'm a great jaw-clencher and breath-holder even though I'm often unaware of the fact.
However, I think it's mostly that the cancer re-growth may be pressing on some sensitive areas within my ear canal and surrounds. Anyone with dodgy ears will know how stupidly painful ear pressure can be. I've never suffered it before, although my brother has, poor bastard!
As I already mentioned in a previous post I have access to some opioid pain killers, and the dosage level has been very successful at keeping me mostly comfortable thus far. If this goes on, however, I may get my arse to a doctor and see what I should do. I think I'll ring my GP's office Monday morning and see if she can squeeze me in for a quick appointment. If worse comes to worse I'll definitely be seeing this new Medical Oncologist on Wednesday.
As far as I understand it the level of pain killers that I'm taking is in fact very modest compared to what some people need, so it may not be too much of a problem in upping the dosage, especially now that it's disturbing my sleep. Parts of my last few posts were written mostly in these wee hours for the same reason. Getting up, moving about and doing something to distract me for a while seems to help. I can normally slip back into bed again after that.
One of the more interesting back-ups that I have is that I'm already connected to the local
Palliative Care team at
Port Kembla hospital. This was done when I was leaving Wollongong hospital back in February.
When they first told me that this referral had been made I sorta freaked out a bit. Palliative care - isn't that for, *gulp*,
dying people? Is there something that they
haven't told me?
It turns out that anyone who has been seriously ill, and in for a long haul illness and recovery like myself, can also be looked after by palliative care, not just the specifically dying. They make sure that all the services are put in place to keep you comfortable during the long recovery. That includes dieticians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, counsellors and social workers, as well as doctors and nurses: some of whom have been popping in here at home from time to time to make sure that all is well.
They've done something that I've never heard of before. The team's head doctor has written some prescriptions which have been lodged with my local pharmacy (drug store). They are for emergency injections of powerful pain killers, sedatives, anti-nausea and anti-vomiting drugs. The Community Nurses who look after my dressings every day can call the pharmacy, have those emergency 'scripts filled, and come around here and jab me with whatever's needed to help.
Of course, that doesn't help me at 5 AM on a Sunday morning when everything is shut. There is however a magical mobile number I can call at any time to ask an on-call Community Nurse to come around. I don't think it will go that far this morning. I've popped a full Endone and will wait and see what it does. Soon I should be comfy enough to slide back into my toasty warm bed.
Ever since I came out of hospital nearly 3 months ago I've actually been sleeping quite well. I don't want those restful sleep cycles disturbed. Normally in the past I've been a pretty crap sleeper with bouts of insomnia. Or for the last 4 years I've not been sleeping as such, more passing out from the booze. I'd forgotten what good sleep is all about.
Anyway ... the pain seems to have calmed down a bit, so I might try and get back to bed. I can hear Kookaburras in the distance already singing their
morning-song. Luckily I don't have anything happening until about midday when my Community Nurse will pop in and change the dressings on my head, and if need-be, I can nap again later in the day.
As the
old song goes: "Laugh Kookaburra, laugh! How gay your life must be ..."
