As I said yesterday, there are 4 weeks in a ABVD Chemotherapy cycle. Today is day 15, and therefore his next instalment of Chemo.

When we arrived at the hospital, we discovered there was a free all-day car park. Admittedly its 300 meters away from the oncology ward – but that’s way better than moving the car every hour!

We checked in and Kate, the nurse in charge asked if Dave had had his blood tests yesterday. What blood tests we asked! Whoops, must have missed that bit of information. The girls quickly took a sample and sent it to the labs marked urgent. Within 45 minutes the results were back. They showed Dave’s white blood cell count was very low so the nurse called the oncologist who agreed that the Chemo could go ahead as long as he had an extra injection to boost his white blood cells.

By 10am Dave was settled into the same seat/lounge as last time, the cannula was inserted and a multitude of poisons was flowing into his veins.

Two and a half hours, a cup of tea and 6 (yes 6!) biscuits later the session was done. We booked in for the next visit in a fortnight, took the injection that he will get the Army Nurse to give him tomorrow and went home.

You hear a lot about how fantastic nurses are. Can I say the ones at the National Capital Private Hospital oncology ward are unreal. We have already developed relationships with the 4 nurses. Its amazing how they go about their business so professionally but with so much care and compassion.  They are so busy, but everything happens smoothly and calmly. Its very impressive, and makes the whole thing a lot more bearable.

Dave is having his first visit at home from a friend this afternoon (since he’s been sick), so I have baked a dozen cupcakes. We have had one each whilst warm – I hope they last till his friend arrives!