Ergotherapy

Wednesday 21 August.

Well, I woke up at 07.40 with the hazy sun fighting it’s way through the far windows, and as I turned over, the cramp bit me right in the ass. And it didn’t stop. i tried to shake it off, but it was persistent. I had to jump clean out of bed and arch my right foot and stretch my toes and twist myself in all the opposing directions I could think of, before it relented and faded away. Hell. It’s a shocking way to wake up in the morning, calling the emergency bell, simply because you didn’t use your common sense when you are still half asleep. The nurse came pretty quickly with the Oxynorm pain killers and they took the sting out if its tail.

TNT crewman Lars Bogen visited me, before the session and I have to say, it was so nice to see him again after such a long time. We always got on great, amidst such a whirlwind of a crazy rock n roll band.

It was another early radiotherapy session this Morning at 09.45am. I also, fully expected it to be painful as well, after such an acidic opening to the morning and I was right.

Climbing onto the table, hurt as much as the process of lying down. The session ached like hell all the way through and lying still really is a requirement; it was hard to do that.

I was very relieved when it was over today. Another medical meeting ensued afterwards, this time with relation to ergonomics and whatever the system was going to allow me to use in my endeavours hand in hand with the officer of occupational therapy. Very smart and ‘clued up’, she was too. Grete, came armed with a list of my allowances and a very fruitful meeting.

The full and personal use of a wheelchair, an ergonomic and electric, fully adjustable work chair, an electric high tec, BED (!!!!) ., and inflatable top market body sculpting cushions !!

When it comes to things like this, the Norwegians go unsurpassed and really do pass with flying colours in the medical arena. I felt like she had really covered any and all of the angles, when she topped it off with the old paraphernalia of shoe horns and sock clamps. 😉 I included a random picture or two, of the radiotherapy staff here somewhere, so you get an idea of the situation etc. They really do make you comfortable and there is a radio playing somewhere in the background etc., along with the low hum of the equipment as it grows to a much louder buzzing when the apparatus spins and stops at certain angles for a different shot at the offending cancers it is trying to focus on. But I will reiterate; you don’t feel a damned thing.

Two more times until 1700, I required the intervention of extra pain killers/Oxynorm, (another increased dose in my case) to relieve me of pain around the right hip and right knee joints, which the staff quickly administered. Being honest and straight with them, gets a quick and efficient response accordingly.

Weight up to 84.6kg.

Yet another visit from the gracious nurse, Elias, triple checking on my well being; what a great guy.