Well, had chemo number 2 last Thursday, and it went OK, my veins weren't cooperating, had to stick me twice. Most people get to have ports in their chest, but oh no, not me. Since I have the possibility of an infection, there will be no port placed in my chest because of the closeness to my heart, and I will get an IV each time I go in - terrific, I say!
When you go to chemo you may as well just sign the day away. It takes forever and when I need to get an IV, it takes longer. I arrive, get comfortable, and we prepare the veins. Then once the needle gets started they draw blood to make sure you are "ready" for chemo. Seriously, is anyone ready for chemo, really? The only way you would be ready for it is if you loved the after effects of it all. The blood gets drawn and sent to the labs and you wait, and wait, and wait for the results to return.Yeah they came back and we can move on. My white blood cell count did drop to 6.5 but we are still good to go and let the chemo begin......no, not yet, really..... right, there is all the other pre stuff before chemo.
Now we have to put in the Dexamethasone (steroid for nauseau), Pepcid AC (again for stomach issues), Aloxi (anti-nauseau), and good ol' Benedryl (for any kind of break out that might happen - allergic reaction). Now mind you, this doesn't just go shooting in, oh no, there is a method and it is very slow. If you shoot it in fast you could have a reaction too, so everything is a waiting game. Thank god the chairs are comfortable. So, about an hour later we can almost start the Taxotere - the first chemo drug. That goes for about an hour and then we start the other one, Cytoxan, which takes an hour too, since going fast could give you "wasabi" nose (that is what the nurses call it because it is like when you have wasabi and your nose runs, hahaha).
So went in and was out six hours later. What a great way to spend the day.
The issues don't start right away at all. Friday, Jeremy and I got up and it was such a beautiful day out that I wanted to take the dogs for a good long walk. We walked down to Allan Brothers, had breakfast and went home - about two and a half hours later. It was a great walk, and I was exhausted, but a good exhausted. Friday night was New Year's Eve, so I went to the bull riding at the fairgrounds here in Albany and had a really good time with friends. No real issues at all, just tired, but it is an early night considering other things that we could have done. Then Saturday, I felt a little off, but really just tired. Sunday is when it hits..... your stomach is tore up, and you don't really feel the nausea, but the diarrhea is unbearable. And it is still lasting in to today, Tuesday. I tried to take the dogs for a walk and had to get straight home for my stomach wasn't having it. That is the worst part. And I know it is the food probably going right through me, but I have to eat, and so I deal with this. I think tomorrow it will be a ton better.
I am experiencing the body aches, the numb tongue, the sore fingers. This week all of the hair on my body is due to really fall out. My head still just has a buzz cut, and there is hair, but soon it will be smooth as a baby's butt - can't wait. I have also put on about 15 pounds since this started and that stinks. Fit in to nothing I own, and refuse to spend money on clothes, so it will go away once I am done, but the question is, how long will it take. The steroids cause you to bloat right up I guess, and that sucks. I walk every day, at least an hour and a half with the dogs and husband and don't stuff myself, and now I have just started back at a gentle yoga how do I gain that much?! Its common, and I have to deal with it. Lucky me.
Only two more treatments to go....... can't be over soon enough.
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