So Wycombe Hospital, Medical Day Unit Assessment Clinic (MDUAC), here we are again. It has to be said that all the staff we have met, related to both my breast cancer, and Ray’s stroke have been awesome. At the MDUAC today Nurse Bridget was taking care of Ray again, she was great last time we were there and was lovely today too. Ray was being sent for his MRI as early as possible so that we could leave on time for my Radiotherapy, he had 10 mg of Diazepam, Ray was less stressed this time which was a relief. However when he was having the MRI he couldn’t cope with it and had to have the scan aborted. He was brought out to calm down, and after some discussion and persuasion we agreed that Ray would give it another try with me going in with him. So I had to quickly fill out a medical form and strip off everything I had on made from metal. So in we went, Ray was set up with headphones ready for his AC/DC ‘Back in Black’ CD and had the cage put round his head. I was given a plastic chair and ear defenders, at the last minute I remembered that I was still wearing my metal framed glasses, so I took them off and put then down next to my chair. I spent the whole time Ray was in the scanner holding his hand and stroking his leg, and the good news is that Ray managed to stay in the scanner long enough for the images to be taken, Yay!!! So I am his angel of mercy 🙂 a calming presence to keep him strong 🙂 When I went to put my glasses back on, they had moved four feet away across the floor from where I had left them!

So the results are that Ray’s problem has not got worse which is excellent news. He has a dissection of the Left Carotid Artery (I think it is the ‘Common’ one) causing an Aneurysm (a balloon-like bulge in the wall of the Artery), the Artery has three layers and it is the innermost layer which has become damaged and allowed blood to get between the walls. This Dissection is a tear under which blood has collected causing a restriction and reducing the oxygen to the nerve (nerve 12) and also swelling and pressurising the nerve, this nerve controls the left side of the tongue and throat. At present it is expected that the Dissection will heal but this will take around six to eight months. If there is no improvement then Dr Burns will consider putting a Stent in to the Artery or to Seal it up completely. They are both risky procedures but the first is less risky than the second so will only be carried out if absolutely necessary.

Dr Burns wants Ray to rest as much as possible until the new year, he has advised against doing any entertaining over Christmas, just to keep things calm and quiet. Ray will have a follow up appointment in January to see how things are going. Another good result is that Ray has at last been given some decent pain relief, he has Tramadol, the drug he had requested at the Doctors on Monday but they were unwilling to prescribe it as it is a controlled drug. So on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most painful, Ray’s pain today has gone from an 8 to a 2, this is so much better for him as the pain was really getting him down. Dr Aubrietia came to see Ray and we talked about Ray’s limitations whilst he recovers. Ray is not to do anything involving twisting his head quickly, so no driving or golf, no sports generally, and as he was too embarrassed to ask, I said what about sex, it appears that this is also off the menu unless we can manage it without raising Ray’s blood pressure! Just as well there is so much more to our relationship that sex 😉 After Ray was discharged from the ward, we headed off to Mount Vernon Hospital for my first Radiotherapy Treatment. Fortunately it was a good journey and we had time to buy some more reduced charge parking tokens and to have a coffee and cake in the café. I have become so accustomed to being treated in the Breast Unit that I forget that the Radiotherapy Department deals with all kinds of cancers, there was another lady waiting for her session who was having the treatment for Bowel Cancer. After a shortish wait, I was called in, I was asked to strip off everything from the waist up, and then to lay on the platform, I told the Radiographers that this was just perfect as I have been looking forward to a rest all day! The two Radiographers spent a long time checking the measurements, moving me around so that my Tattoo dots were lined up with the laser light correctly. Once I was positioned for my right breast, they left the room, took an x-ray to check that all was correctly placed, then began the treatment.

The procedure was the same for my left breast, the actual Radiotherapy didn’t take long at all, I was allowed to have a sheet of paper to cover me up, and this actually helped to keep me from getting frozen. Once the treatment was finished, I got dressed and Ray and I set off for home. We got back just after five.

After a stressful day, I went and laid down for half an hour before dinner as I felt so tired, it was wonderful to stretch myself out after spending most of the day in an uncomfortable upright chair. I need to get myself off to bed so good night all, may the Angels hold you as you sleep ❤