4th Obinutuzumab infusion this week - that’ll be cycle Number 1 completed…

[Miu48]

So, I now feel very relaxed about heading to the ‘chemotherapy village’ at Guy’s Cancer Centre. I’m a regular, and will be for the next 11 months. This Thursday I’ll be having my 4th Obinutuzumab infusion….A milestone, because it means I’ve completed cycle 1. I’m no longer scared, in fact I embrace my visits because it means that the umpteen hours I’m there is getting rid of those little blighters that have been zapping my energy.

After the 3rd infusion, I was waiting for the overwhelming exhaustion that followed the first two….it didn’t come! I feel great, I have more energy and I feel happy.

Now…for those that read my prior posts, you will know that I made some amateur and somewhat amusing mishaps during my first two infusion days. Now that I’m a regular, these mishaps have passed….Except for the jelly!

For those that are yet to embark on treatment, of all of your worries and concerns, it’s the jelly you need to watch out for (for the American readers, I think Jello. I’m not talking about jam). Anyway..back to the jelly….I was really hungry (blame the steroids) so ordered a ham roll (more about that later) and a pot of jelly with a natty little spoon included that folded out into something vaguely useable. Problem I had was that the jelly was somewhat slippery and my ‘generous’ spoonful leapt down the side of ‘the chair’. I spent a good deal of time trying to retrieve it, before deciding it was best left alone lest I dislodge my cannula.

I’m coming to the ham roll, but not just yet…

So the apparatus that our bags of drugs hang from….steering these en route to the toilet is akin to pushing a supermarket trolley. They have a mind of their own! Achieving a smooth bump free path from ‘the chair’ to toilet has become a pass time of mine..a sport even. This is how I pass my time! Think slalom skiing…I try and weave my way as quickly as possible around the various obstructions…

The ham roll…..

Well, as I’ve previously said. Those steroids really make you hungry..I had a ham roll from the food trolley. It looked good, but only from a certain angle…the cheeky people who made that roll thought it would be really funny to only put the ham on the visible side! It was in fact half a ham roll and half a dry bread roll. Still, I was hungry so I ate it. Much water needed to wash it down which of course triggered another slalom run to the toilet 😊

I hope everyone is keeping well and happy. Much love to you all. x

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

The rest of your obinutuzumab infusions should be smooth sailing - well except for the drip stand slaloms! Perhaps we should organise a fund racing drip stand race, throwing in an obstacle course of hospital beds, drip stands, drinks and eats trolleys, etc. Thanks for your very humorous update!

Neil

[DRM18]

Lol, awesome, Miu48. Thanks for the update!

[prbs2707]

Hi - toilet slalom run!!! Brings back many memories of my months on obinutuzumab. So glad it's going well. Stay safe and strong. Patrick 😂

[very]

Thanks for the update,made titter.Hope your treatment continues to go well.Jenny uk

[Walkingtall62]

Thanks for your very humorous posts, despite going through the treatment. Take care and all the best

[J1015]

Thanks for the morning laugh! We need more of your perspective. Wishing continued treatment success for you.

[studebaker]

😂 I do remember those days. Great sense of humour keep it coming.Good luck!

Dana

[spi3]

You are too funny but much appreciated- my husband is also going for his 5th IV at the end of this month - you are right the bread is too dry! Thank you 💗 for your updates too

[Fergusaims]

Has anybody else attempted to open the vacuum packed small lumps of cheese provided by the NHS. Impossible to open without a scalpel. No nurse or person serving me has been able to open them yet. I ended up bringing scissors.

[Miu48 in reply to Fergusaims]

You get cheese? Not on offer at Guy’s 😂

[Fergusaims in reply to Miu48]

Well something that resembles a bit of coloured plastic & is clearly put there to increase people's exercise in trying to open it! Good luck with the rest of your treatment. I'm 2 months from finishing Venetoclax & that part was very easy (for me).

[Big_Dee]

Hello Miu48

I liked the part about maneuvering to the toilet :). My biggest worry on heading to the toilets that they would not all be occupied :). Good read. Blessings.

[CycleWonder]

Thank you for a good chuckle. You can’t imagine how much I needed that today.

[Poodle2]

It seems you are having far too much fun 🙂