Preparing for chemo

Before I begin talking about how things have been since the appointment I just want to go back to some of the weird things about that day. Firstly was the fact, when  I saw on my ipod that Victoria Wood had died I was more concerned my mum might have a break down seeing that then what ever my results where.  That fact her pulse was 110 didn’t help.

Secondly was the fact the minute I saw that had happened I knew along with everything else I wrote about in the last blog, this was not going to be a good day.  So you get a couple of forms and detailed stuff which I have got the time to try and work through.

The first thing is the large amount of possible side effects.

Which goes from losing your hair, which for some reason I am just coming to the realisation that I am going to lose all of my body hair, to throwing up  to mouth ulsers. So yes really excited for those three weeks starting May 23^rd everybody.

Also back on the subject of my hair for a moment.  For anyone who knows me pretty well knows I am a relatively hair man. So going from Hugh Jackman to Christaino Ronaldo is not something I am looking forward to. Although I have been told, not to knock putting trousers on hair less legs until I have tried it, but I will have to wait and see on that one.  

But in addition to that you get the sperm bank leaflet, which it turns out if I want to use my sample in the future it is going to cost me. But I  guess becoming infertile at the age of 21 is just another new reality that I have to get used to except.

Most importantly of all the things I am going to have to prepare for is the fact research on the internet suggests that I am not going to be able to drink coffee.  Just want to say that again I am not going to be able to drink coffee during my recovery and will probably need to stay off coke.

However moving back to one of the small upside of this treatment, I forgot to mention is that apparently there is some funding from charities for teenagers and young people with cancer. No matter what my ages, I am still able get money from some public body for just being me.  

So I am writing this the day before I head back to Belfast, for what is my and will be my last ever week as a university undergraduate student.  It’s a really scary but also depressing thought that the next seven days are the last seven days I will be able to just be a student and do all of the things I do as a queens student. But I  guess along with having to accept some of   the other things I stated above, is just something I have to get used to.

But anyway back to me my upcoming week. Because  I am trying to make sure I finish everything, or to put it another way get one last go at thing that have become part of my university life. One of those thing, has been working in university recruitment for GB students. This has been one of the best things I was able to since my first year and for the last time next Friday, I will be giving a tour. Don’t pity me to much I am getting paid ;)

Due to the fact I am trying to make sure I do everything, as well  as deal with all the different admin things, that I need to do in my department to work out what is the best way that I am going to be able to finish if not officially graduate this academic year.

One of the slight difficulties when trying to  organise some kind of schedule, so I can make sure I can make the best of it, means making sure my schedule  lines up with  what my girlfriend has planned for that week.  Now for any of you, who know me and my girlfriend very well, know we are very different people. I do have to be careful how I phase this, as she might actually read this. I often always try to plan for the future and next week is just another case of that.

My girlfriend however very much lives in the moment, which is great. Often I feel like it helps to mellow me out, however that does mean trying to get her to commit to a weeklong schedule a day or two ahead of time is a little bit difficult.