Thursday

All I want right now is normality, an absence of extremes.  Today has been wonderful, a quiet house, rest and the cricket on in the background.

Then, worryingly, I blow my nose and there is blood, a fair amount.  And two hours later, the same thing. 

Cancer is a learning experience, like any other, except, well - completely different from any other.  It's a journey that no-one wants to take, it's vast, it's scary, it's painful for everyone around you, and in the case of metastatic lung cancer, the survival rate tends to zero a bit too quickly for my liking.  

So, like any sane person when they have a worrying medical symptom I ring the hospital ask Mr Google.  This is a stupid thing to do - for example, when I was having investigations for my cough, I googled so much I ended up scared witless I might have something serious!  But in this case, unusually, I quickly find a reasonable answer.  From "Cancer for Dummies" (really) - 

"Bleeding: The cells that make sure you stop bleeding when you've been cut or bruised are called platelets.  Chemotherapy can lower the number of platelets you have, making you more susceptible to bruising, nose bleeds and clotting failure.  If your platelet count becomes dangerously low, your doctor may describe a drug that will help your body produce new platelets".

Fair enough.  Just in case, I ring the ward.  The nurse listens, asks a few careful questions, but doesn't think there is cause for concern.  If the bleeding doesn't stop, or persists, come in for a blood test.  Sounds ok to me.

You live and learn.