Well, I've survived two chemo treatments so far. I still have four more to go. They are every three weeks apart, so I should finish up around April 1st...crossing my fingers. So far it hasn't been so bad.
Going through chemo is different than I ever imagined prior to my diagnosis, and it has been different from what we (Tyson, the doctors, and myself) thought I'd feel after being educated about it all. I had always pictured someone going through chemotherapy to be very ill, always laying around in bed, or spending their time nauseated and throwing up in the bathroom. Thank goodness it is not like that! It used to be, but the medications to take care of all those crappy side effects have developed so much in the last years, that it doesn't have to be like that. In fact, I was told if I got to the point of throwing up, it had went too far and I needed to call in because my meds should prevent that from happening. Luckily they are...although I've wanted to a time or two.
Mostly I have felt some extreme fatigue around four to six days after my treatment. It is the type that it doesn't matter how much you sleep or lay around all day, you still struggle to get yourself up to do anything. I have never experienced this before. I don't think my kids have felt any deprivation, but I have felt like I've neglected them as I lay around. It seems that they just get it. When I lay around all day with a blanket, they are fine playing around the house (destroying things and getting into things I'd rather have them not, but it's really not hurting anything except my blood pressure) and watching Dora and the other characters of Nickelodeon (I wouldn't make it without them either). They are seeming to deal with all of this quite well and have adjusted to many babysitters and Mommy have lots of ouwees and going to the hospital and doctors office a lot. Anytime now that I get ready to go anywhere, Collin comes to me and says either 'hospital' or 'doctor's office' even though I'm just running to the store.
The other bad side effect I've had is when the Neulasta shot kicks in, literally! It kills! It is a shot given to me to boost my bone marrow to make more white blood cells when my count gets too low. So it just hangs out in my body until it decides to kick in. This happened seven days after my first treatment, so I'm still bracing myself for it to come on in a few days. It makes my bones ache, makes it hurt to walk, bend, everything in my pelvis area hurts, especially my kidneys. I was so scared when it all happened the first time that I thought I was having kidney failure. It progressively just got more painful throughout the entire day to the point I could barely walk. Luckily its a good shot to keep me healthy, but it feels like its killing you at the time.
Other than that, it hasn't been too bad. I've had all the usual side effects that you hear on tv with about any drug that aren't so pleasant...mouth sores, no sleep, blacking out once, and the other not so fun ones. It just adds to all the other stuff, making me feel blah for that first week after treatment. But with the first treatment, after I made it through Day 7, I had two solid weeks of feeling completely normal and full of energy. I hope it is the same for the rest of my treatments.
And as for going to infusion for the treatment, that is the best part. I think they try to make it so nice because they know you are going to be suffering a few days. I get my labs done and port accessed each time, then I see my doctor to discuss all my worries (there's a lot) and all my side effects (a lot of those too), then its off to infusion. Since I have a port placed, it is super nice to have them just hook up the tube, no needle poking and ivs in the arm. Its easy!
It's a little odd to watch the nurses put on these special blue gowns and masks that they have to wear when they pick up your bag of chemo drugs and hang it on the rack and hook up your tubes. Like they are trying to protect themselves from getting any deadly drug on them, when they are pumping this straight into my subclavian artery headed straight to my heart to nearly kill me! It's a funny thought, but I certainly wouldn't want anyone to deal with these drugs that doesn't have to. I have three different chemo drugs that I have to take through the drip, one at a time, plus they constantly are pumping saline into me the entire time, making for a million trips to the restroom. The actual infusion process is about 4 hours, but so far I haven't left the cancer center in under 7 hours. It's a full day, but I don't mind it.
I have my own tv with dvd (I've yet to use it because the time actually goes by fast just visiting and doing other stuff), headphones, heated reclining leather chair (it's way nice), warm blankets brought to me, lunch brought, ice-cream, drinks, conversation, you name it. I really like this cancer center. The nurses are only over a few patients each to make sure you are taken care of, plus there are my same trusty volunteers there each time, Bill and Madge, that are the best. I love visiting with them, and they always seem to stop by when they see that Tyson has had to run off to get the kids. When no one is there, I have my iPod and magazines, journal and knitting to keep me plenty busy. I actually love having this time to myself since I don't get it much at home, and when Tyson is there he loves just hanging out with me too since we never get those peaceful moments at home. Funny how we find it so nice to go sit at a hospital all day every couple of weeks, but oh how we love our kids and are glad to be back home with them when its all over.
Well for those of you who actually read this, I'm impressed. I've started printing my blog from the very beginning. It's the best journal/scrapbooking I've done since having kids (imagine that). Thus the reason for all the stories. I have a hand-written journal that I'm keeping too, but the computer is sooo much easier and great for adding pics. So there you have it.
Here's a few pics from my trip at St. Mary's Cancer Center:
Yes, I'm hooked up and enjoying myself there and not feeling a thing!
