Anything you eat or drink might come back up again.

No, it has been coming back up already. What’s going on?

You’ve got a blockage in your bowel. It acts like a roadblock. If it can’t get through the roadblock things go back up. We can try to loosen up the roadblock with bigger doses of the steroid medication that was started at the weekend. It may or may not work but there may be side effects.

Like?

You might see the psychedelic lights that you saw the other day. That was scary for you. The steroids will worsen your immune system, making it harder for you to recover from the pneumonia which has come back.

Why is this all happening? I don’t feel well, no energy at all. Is the cancer progressing?

Yes, the cancer is getting worse and causing new problems. A bowel blockage and pneumonia at the same time is a serious and dangerous situation. I’m not sure if you’ll recover. We can try increasing your medications to see if they will help. Would you like that?

Yes. Do I need to get another scan?

No, we know what is going on already. A scan might confirm that but it wouldn’t change our management. We’d only do tests if the results would change what we do, otherwise, it wouldn’t be a good use of your time.

So all I can do is sit here and wait?

You can do whatever you feel up to doing, but I don’t want you putting up with pain.

I don’t have any pain.

Or discomfort.

I don’t have any discomfort.

Apart from your back and tummy. You also feel exhausted.

Well, yes but it’s not too bad.

Okay, we’ll work on making you more comfortable, we’re going to adjust your medications now.

The nurse said she’d take me out to the garden.

That’s a good idea, it would be good for you to get some fresh air and sunshine.