Day 12 – St Valentine’s Day Brain Massacre

Tor puts in an epic return Heathrow trip for Liv, making it back home by 09.30 to take me to clinic, as there’s no way I can drive with such chronic back pain. Oncologist Axel is a dude – he looks like a smartened-up version of the Guns ‘n Roses frontman too. Axel listens patiently to the extended litany of woe; omnipresent hangover, tinnitus, creeping numbness of hands and face, ‘sunburned inside’, fatigue coupled with inability to sleep, and now crippling back pain….

Oncology Rocks?

We talk work, and Axel is entirely unsurprised that higher level cognitive functioning is reported as deficient; both processing capability (as illustrated by the Wechsler WAIS-IV (IQ) score) and slower capacity (factorial 5 down to 3). In short, ‘Chemo Brain’; it’s a new harsh fact of life for anyone on chemotherapy, and there’s not a damn thing anyone can do about it. What’s particularly cruel is that anyone with a more cerebral job is disproportionately affected. Axel suggests that it would probably be better not to work for 6 months or so. So there’s the triple whammy: cancer + chemotherapy = unable to work. I am presented with a Macmillan cancer guide to ‘benefits’ (none of which I qualify for, being native educated ABC1 English with a work ethic and little time for the Little Britain we have become). Tor says things should be looked at as an opportunity, not a problem; therefore consider guest writing for The Daily Mail.....

The Vitamin C injections are discussed, and things are not exactly what they initially seemed (blog traffic stats indicate a good deal of interest in this topic from both the US and Germany). Tor has sourced some 1200mg Vit C gel pouches and Axel is told that these will be used in lieu of previously requested injections. Axel ain’t happy. Although there has been no decent clinical trial as yet, there is the possibility that such high Vit C dosage might decrease the effectiveness of the EP/CP chemotherapy; in short, it makes you feel better by decreasing the (desired) onslaught of the bad guys. Hmmmm…..

Decide to leave the Vit C until post-chemo recovery phase. Axel looks pleased, although he empathises the other symptoms just ‘go with the territory’. Back pain is traced to muscular origin (not kidneys) as a result of more time in bed. Paracetamol is considered, but rejected as blood count is checked (and is too low), with consequent risk of fever/neutrogenic sepsis (which parcetamol will mask). Ibuprofen is suggested for the back, and Zopiclone is prescribed for better sleeping….. but that’s it on the ‘management of side-effects’ front.

Memo to Daily Mail: Really? I knew your paper was bad, but......