Chemo #1 - 2 Feb 2018
Last time I had chemo I did one post covering the week, to track day by day what happened. It was quite handy to look back on, so I'm going to do that again. I'll update and republish this post each day, so check back later in the week if you want to see updates.
The day before
Thursday 1st Feb - had my steroids at 8am with some breakfast, had a good day at work, including being given lots of good wishes from everyone, and a lovely bag of treats from a lovely colleague. Went to bed at 10pm feeling tired. Dozed for 45 mins before waking up completely until sometime between 2.30am and 3am. Had a headache. Slept until 6am.
The day of
Friday 2nd Feb - Got up at 7am and had a bath. Walked Sydney and was super speedy. Averaged 20 minute miles, rather than my usual 25 mins! Although often those 25 mins include a chat to my neighbours.
Arrived at the hospital at midday, via the carpet shop to replace carpet that Sydney attacked a few weeks ago (I accidentally left the child gate open while I was out). By 12:30 they had managed to get the cannula in and deliver the Herceptin. It took 4 attempts and 2 nurses to find a vein, but they are confident that they'll be OK next time, so haven't ordered me to have a Picc line yet. Yay! The Herceptin injection in the thigh isn't quite as horrible as a tetanus jab, but not far off. But once it is out, it's done and doesn't hurt.
On this occasion I had to then wait for 2 hours after the Herceptin to ensure I didn't have an allergic reaction (I didn't). Next time I'll have a wait of 30 mins, then no wait. The docetaxel then takes an hour to infuse, and the cyclophosphamide is injected into the cannula by the nurse, so just takes 5 minutes. Various flushes in between with saline. I was fed cups of tea and a sandwich.
Greg picked me up at 4pm and I feel fine. I've come home and put some loads of washing on, done the washing up and tidied the kitchen. Maybe slightly shaky from lack of sleep fighting with awakeness caused by the steroids, but other than that feel absolutely normal.
I have anti-sickness tablets to take for the next 4 days.
The day after
Saturday 3rd Feb - Slept quite well, except for Greg waking me up between 3 and 4am. Woke feeling a little bit nauseous, with a bit of indigestion, so got myself some breakfast so I could have my steroids and anti-sickness tablets, and that helped. Pottered slowly and cleaned the bathroom, got some loads of washing done and changed the bedding - usual Saturday jobs, although didn't vacuum as I usually would. Or walk Sydney. Then settled down to sewing up my next animal - the parts have been made since the Christmas break, but I haven't been in a sewing mood. It's another Winston the Aardvark-->
Then my new headphones arrived. The long wait in chemo yesterday made my mind up that a pair of nice headphones and the chance to listen to podcasts would be useful, so I ordered some while I was there. Good old Amazon. I've got the Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT. Wireless, and with a microphone so I can also use them to take calls on Skype using my work laptop, and although not noise cancelling, they're fairly reasonable.
Greg took me to the pharmacy later on, and I picked up 'just in case' meds - Gaviscon, Senokot and Immodium (not sure which way, if any that might go!), paracetamol and Corsodyl. The last because this chemo can cause mouth ulcers. I hate mouthwash - it's too strong for me - but needs must, and not being able to eat because you have painful ulcers is something I'd rather avoid.
District Nurse came at about 4.30pm, and gave me the lipegfilgrastim injection to boost my white blood cells. Very easily done, and she is happy that I'll do the rest myself. She's left me with a sharps bin.
So all good, tired and being careful, but otherwise still feeling fine. Just booked ourselves tickets to see Brian Blessed at Cheltenham Town Hall. It's the Sunday after my final chemo. A good reason to celebrate, and feeling confident I'll be OK for that.
Sunday 4th Feb - not feeling so great today. Woke at 2.30am and simply could not get to sleep again. I've tried the bed and the sofa, the sofa and the bed. Possibly closed my eyes while watching a film, but I didn't miss much. Also now suffering constipation and my bones are aching, which I was warned about. I'm a bit grumpy today. Can't get comfortable. Paracetamol, Senokot, tea and squash are keeping me going. Hopefully sleep tonight and then it will all pass and be a bit easier tomorrow. I had no intention of driving to work tomorrow anyway, so know I can get more rest if I need to. Felt better in the evening once paracetamol/ibuprofen routine got a bit more settled.
Monday 5th Feb - slept really very well, which was a relief. Occasional stomach cramps, which are either caused by constipation or the Senokot itself, doing its thing. Continuing with paracetamol/ibuprofen on a regular basis as I know this has an ongoing effect which breaks if you stop, and I don't think I'm completely out of the woods yet. Working from my bed today, but feel quite perky. Spoke too soon. Needed a sleep this afternoon, and aches have continued all day despite the drug regimen. Gave in to the diet and had Domino's pizza for dinner. Stomach cramps and diarrhoea now. Chemo caused? Lipegfilgrastim caused? Senokot caused? Who knows. Don't think I'll be going to work tomorrow. Greg worries that I have an 'up', perky period and find it hard to imagine that I'll have a down, and then i'll get stranded in Bristol when the down does come. It's a fair comment. I designed my day tomorrow that it isn't the end of the world if I am not there.
Tuesday 6th Feb - woke and decided I wouldn't be going in to work. My knees ache, so driving would be painful, and I have a woozy, headachy head. I initially thought I'd do a couple of meetings by phone, but I don't have the focus or concentration so I've rearranged them. Will see how the rest of the day pans out. Turns out I brightened up in the afternoon, and managed to get some filing done! Kept up with the paracetamol/ibuprofen. Declined Greg's kind offer of some cheese-filled jalapenos with bacon, but otherwise my digestive system seems to be settling.
Wednesday 7th Feb - went to work. Feel somewhere between 90 and 95% normal. Tired and pinched between the eyes, and thinking and concentration isn't quite as razor sharp as usual, but am otherwise OK. I managed 3 hours of teaching this morning (2 x 1.5 hour sessions, repeating the same stuff to two groups), a phone call with a supplier, and a catch up with a colleague. Everyone at work being bossy about me needing to take it easy, joining in with Greg and my parents! :-) Went home early and will keep this week to short days. Only one more to do anyone, as I have Friday off! New work laptop arrived, so getting it all set up. It's a lot lighter, and hopefully will be faster too.
Thursday 8th Feb - If I was 90% normal on Wednesday, then I was 80% today. Woke at 4.30am with throbbing pain across my lower back. Got up to check I could move (I could, it helped) and have more painkillers, but the dull ache lasted all day. The tip of my tongue feels numb/tingly too, and the inside of my nose is sore and bleeds if I blow it. Possibly losing my nasal hair already. So I did go into work - one catch up with a colleague, and a regular faculty meeting - arrived at 10am, left at 3pm. Yes, yes, I probably shouldn’t have gone, but it was ok. I’m better if I keep moving, albeit slowly. Mum arrived ready for our shopping trip tomorrow.
Friday 9th Feb - the last of the daily updates for Chemo #1. Back up to a firm 95% today. Little to no back or bone pain, sore throat when I woke which has gone, still have a funny mouth and tea doesn't taste right, and a touch tired, but not too bad. Had a good day out and will report back on the wig shopping in a separate post.
The day before
Thursday 1st Feb - had my steroids at 8am with some breakfast, had a good day at work, including being given lots of good wishes from everyone, and a lovely bag of treats from a lovely colleague. Went to bed at 10pm feeling tired. Dozed for 45 mins before waking up completely until sometime between 2.30am and 3am. Had a headache. Slept until 6am.The day of
Friday 2nd Feb - Got up at 7am and had a bath. Walked Sydney and was super speedy. Averaged 20 minute miles, rather than my usual 25 mins! Although often those 25 mins include a chat to my neighbours.Arrived at the hospital at midday, via the carpet shop to replace carpet that Sydney attacked a few weeks ago (I accidentally left the child gate open while I was out). By 12:30 they had managed to get the cannula in and deliver the Herceptin. It took 4 attempts and 2 nurses to find a vein, but they are confident that they'll be OK next time, so haven't ordered me to have a Picc line yet. Yay! The Herceptin injection in the thigh isn't quite as horrible as a tetanus jab, but not far off. But once it is out, it's done and doesn't hurt.
On this occasion I had to then wait for 2 hours after the Herceptin to ensure I didn't have an allergic reaction (I didn't). Next time I'll have a wait of 30 mins, then no wait. The docetaxel then takes an hour to infuse, and the cyclophosphamide is injected into the cannula by the nurse, so just takes 5 minutes. Various flushes in between with saline. I was fed cups of tea and a sandwich.
Greg picked me up at 4pm and I feel fine. I've come home and put some loads of washing on, done the washing up and tidied the kitchen. Maybe slightly shaky from lack of sleep fighting with awakeness caused by the steroids, but other than that feel absolutely normal.
I have anti-sickness tablets to take for the next 4 days.
The day after
Saturday 3rd Feb - Slept quite well, except for Greg waking me up between 3 and 4am. Woke feeling a little bit nauseous, with a bit of indigestion, so got myself some breakfast so I could have my steroids and anti-sickness tablets, and that helped. Pottered slowly and cleaned the bathroom, got some loads of washing done and changed the bedding - usual Saturday jobs, although didn't vacuum as I usually would. Or walk Sydney. Then settled down to sewing up my next animal - the parts have been made since the Christmas break, but I haven't been in a sewing mood. It's another Winston the Aardvark-->Then my new headphones arrived. The long wait in chemo yesterday made my mind up that a pair of nice headphones and the chance to listen to podcasts would be useful, so I ordered some while I was there. Good old Amazon. I've got the Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT. Wireless, and with a microphone so I can also use them to take calls on Skype using my work laptop, and although not noise cancelling, they're fairly reasonable.
Greg took me to the pharmacy later on, and I picked up 'just in case' meds - Gaviscon, Senokot and Immodium (not sure which way, if any that might go!), paracetamol and Corsodyl. The last because this chemo can cause mouth ulcers. I hate mouthwash - it's too strong for me - but needs must, and not being able to eat because you have painful ulcers is something I'd rather avoid.
District Nurse came at about 4.30pm, and gave me the lipegfilgrastim injection to boost my white blood cells. Very easily done, and she is happy that I'll do the rest myself. She's left me with a sharps bin.
So all good, tired and being careful, but otherwise still feeling fine. Just booked ourselves tickets to see Brian Blessed at Cheltenham Town Hall. It's the Sunday after my final chemo. A good reason to celebrate, and feeling confident I'll be OK for that.
Sunday 4th Feb - not feeling so great today. Woke at 2.30am and simply could not get to sleep again. I've tried the bed and the sofa, the sofa and the bed. Possibly closed my eyes while watching a film, but I didn't miss much. Also now suffering constipation and my bones are aching, which I was warned about. I'm a bit grumpy today. Can't get comfortable. Paracetamol, Senokot, tea and squash are keeping me going. Hopefully sleep tonight and then it will all pass and be a bit easier tomorrow. I had no intention of driving to work tomorrow anyway, so know I can get more rest if I need to. Felt better in the evening once paracetamol/ibuprofen routine got a bit more settled.
Monday 5th Feb - slept really very well, which was a relief. Occasional stomach cramps, which are either caused by constipation or the Senokot itself, doing its thing. Continuing with paracetamol/ibuprofen on a regular basis as I know this has an ongoing effect which breaks if you stop, and I don't think I'm completely out of the woods yet. Working from my bed today, but feel quite perky. Spoke too soon. Needed a sleep this afternoon, and aches have continued all day despite the drug regimen. Gave in to the diet and had Domino's pizza for dinner. Stomach cramps and diarrhoea now. Chemo caused? Lipegfilgrastim caused? Senokot caused? Who knows. Don't think I'll be going to work tomorrow. Greg worries that I have an 'up', perky period and find it hard to imagine that I'll have a down, and then i'll get stranded in Bristol when the down does come. It's a fair comment. I designed my day tomorrow that it isn't the end of the world if I am not there.
Tuesday 6th Feb - woke and decided I wouldn't be going in to work. My knees ache, so driving would be painful, and I have a woozy, headachy head. I initially thought I'd do a couple of meetings by phone, but I don't have the focus or concentration so I've rearranged them. Will see how the rest of the day pans out. Turns out I brightened up in the afternoon, and managed to get some filing done! Kept up with the paracetamol/ibuprofen. Declined Greg's kind offer of some cheese-filled jalapenos with bacon, but otherwise my digestive system seems to be settling.
Wednesday 7th Feb - went to work. Feel somewhere between 90 and 95% normal. Tired and pinched between the eyes, and thinking and concentration isn't quite as razor sharp as usual, but am otherwise OK. I managed 3 hours of teaching this morning (2 x 1.5 hour sessions, repeating the same stuff to two groups), a phone call with a supplier, and a catch up with a colleague. Everyone at work being bossy about me needing to take it easy, joining in with Greg and my parents! :-) Went home early and will keep this week to short days. Only one more to do anyone, as I have Friday off! New work laptop arrived, so getting it all set up. It's a lot lighter, and hopefully will be faster too.
Thursday 8th Feb - If I was 90% normal on Wednesday, then I was 80% today. Woke at 4.30am with throbbing pain across my lower back. Got up to check I could move (I could, it helped) and have more painkillers, but the dull ache lasted all day. The tip of my tongue feels numb/tingly too, and the inside of my nose is sore and bleeds if I blow it. Possibly losing my nasal hair already. So I did go into work - one catch up with a colleague, and a regular faculty meeting - arrived at 10am, left at 3pm. Yes, yes, I probably shouldn’t have gone, but it was ok. I’m better if I keep moving, albeit slowly. Mum arrived ready for our shopping trip tomorrow.
Friday 9th Feb - the last of the daily updates for Chemo #1. Back up to a firm 95% today. Little to no back or bone pain, sore throat when I woke which has gone, still have a funny mouth and tea doesn't taste right, and a touch tired, but not too bad. Had a good day out and will report back on the wig shopping in a separate post.
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