Fighting Back - Chemical Warfare Attack on the Enemy A.K.A Cancer: The Chemo begins... and begin it did...

Continuing week three after Diagnosis and Chemo begins:

Thursday 22nd October 

I had popped to the hospital yesterday (Wednesday) where my bloods, weight and height were taken. This was all in preaparation for the commencement of today's battle.

What a battle this proved to be. I am not going to lie, I did have a slight case of the 'colley wobbles' this morning and was feeling rather apprehensive. My day started out with Gerry taking the boys to school and heading to work. Suzanne was picking me up at 9:00a.m. and taking me for my appointment. Although you do appreciate your friends, when disaster strikes and these friends go to the lengths that they do you realise just how much richer your life is for having them in it. Suzanne arrived on time, had a quick cuppa while I checked and rechecked that I had everything with me that I wanted to keep me entertained during the day. I knew that it would be a long and arduous day, so I was going totally prepared. The contents of my bag were as follows:

Laptop - check

charger - check

colouring books and pens - check

reading book - check

iPad - check

rubik 5 x5 - check.

Well come on... one has to be prepared, yes, looking at that list one would be perfectly right in asking themselves "has this woman ever grown up?" my answer is "No - growing up means growing old, once you stop finding the child inside you and forgetting the enjoyment childhood activities can still bring, you stop seeing the fun, innocence and simple enjoyment in life!" I will openly admit, I am a gamer, seeker of fun, roller coaster riding hooligan, sandcastle building, sea swimming and beer and wine swilling Adult-child, and proud. I also do not intend to change that, only increase the adventure after this life changing curve ball has been deflected, as it has made me realise that there is even more to life, and I am going to grab it with both hands. I am not done here yet that is for sure.

We carried my bags to the car... notes to self... buy a decent sized backpack, carrying two bags and lugging all that is not really funny... Note two.... pack a bloody picnic  :-/

Once packed off we set. We arrived 20 minutes before the appointment time. I checked in and noticed a diplayed sign....

 'due to the fact that we are short staffed today, and the clinic is a large one, you may experience some delays, however we will do our best to keep you as close to  your allotted appointment time as possible.'

 I am sure all of you who have been keeping up with my blog will note that I had a similar experience the other day... I am not going to write here what went through my mind, but I did charitably think, well at least I am being prepared and kept in the picture. Once seated, a nurse popped her head in and explained to all about the delays, she also added that if your appointment time runs over by 20 - 30 minutes please make yourself known and they will see  you A.S.A.P. Now that I knew this I took out my book and began to read for the morning. My appointment was scheduled for 10:30. by 11:30 I had still not been seen, however at 12:00 a nurse called for me and took me to the treatment room to have a cannula fitted. I was then asked to return to the waiting room where I would be called once a 'chemo bed' was available. By 1:00 p.m. a bed was found and I was comfortably seated and ready to go.

A small drip bag of 'something' I can't recall the name but I think it was some form of anti allergy medication was sent through the cannula first. This was then followed by the first bag of chemotherapy. I was told all the possible reactions that could occur and was told to inform the nurses by ringing the bell if there were any sensations, aches and pains, sweating, light headedness, headaches, nausea, tummy cramping, tingling, and a whole host more, basically anything at all that you do not usually experience as a rule. If this occurred a drug to fight off these reations would be administered then Chemo would begin again. I nodded that I understood and then the bag was attached to the cannula. Initially I lay there mentally scanning my whole body checking to see if any feelings were occurring or if there was anything not 'normal' going on. I had to tell myself to stop, as I was almost driving myself crazy with paranoia, so I took out my book and continued to read.

Suzanne had accompanied me and was great support. Not too long in, the lunch trolley arrived. Tea, Coffee, Soup and Sambos. Unfortunately Suzanne has an aversion to any food served up in hospitals. She had a cuppa, and I had half a cup of soup and a very dry sandwich. However it filled a hole. Suzanne went for a stroll at this point and then went to sit in the waiting room to read. I chewed the cardboard like plain chicken sandwich, and I chewed and chewed and swallowed the doughy ball that it had become.  Thankfully Suzanne re appeared after lunch with a bottle of water, popcorn, a packet of mints and a bar. Happy days! that took the edge off and put a better taste into my mouth.

The bag of chemo was on a timed slow release in order to check that there were no adverse reactions. Luckily for me there were not any at all... until that is... the very end of the first bag of chemo. Let's be honest here, If it had all gone too well, well that just would not be me now would it. I have always taken the difficult routes and this was now looking like it would be following suite. As the bag was ending a flush was then added to run the last of the chemo through the line and into my arm.

 Holy shit! 

The burning sensation was immense, my arm became harder and started to swell right in front of my eyes. Thank you God, there was a nurse present at the time. She called for help and another nurse and doc removed the cannula while the first nurse prepared an injection. The swelling site was circled with a highligher and then seven injections were given into that swelling. My vein had collapsed and the chemo had leaked out into the softer tissue under the skin, causing the hardeness, swelling and discolouring. These very painful injections were to counter act any damage that the chemo could do to tissue and skin. I was also given a tube of cream to rub onto the area four times a day for the next seven days.  The cannula was then inserted into the back of my right hand, the second bag of chemo attached and hey presto.... it all happened again... this time my fingers swelled and started turning blue. Once again this was removed and the doctor now came and searched thoroughly for a decent vein. He inserted the cannula into my right forearm and once again the chemo was attached. Third time lucky. It was at this point the doctor made the decision that I will be having a port fitted, this will stop the needle parlava and make receiving chemo much easier. By the time it was all over, It was then 6:00p.m. It has been a very long day. Suzanne drove me home and stopped for a cuppa before heading back to her home. She has kindly left her number with both the boys and Gerry should she be needed for any other runs or to help when the chemo starts to take it's toll. I have been warned by the hospital today to expect hair loss to start occurring in the next 7 days, along with nausea, exhaustion and many other ailments. It was explained so clearly to me, basically the chemo damages the white blood cells, approximately from days 7 -14 these cells are at their lowest and new ones start to appear after the 14th day making day 15 - 21 managable, only to be given your next chemo session for it all to start again. Apparently as the sessions increase symptoms can become a bit worse. I must also remember that these are general guidelines and apart form the hairloss the others could quite easily be mild. I will cross that bridge when I come to it. I have steroids to take the day before each chemo session and for three days after. I then have another drug to take. It is an anti vomitting drug. I take it for a period of 5 days, one tablet three times a day. It does make you drowsy, lethargic and dizzy, but I would rather that than 'chucking up chunks' I have an aversion to being sick... it only makes me sicker. I only have to hear someone heave to find myself shouting down the big white telephone to God. Begging for mercy. Oh well if it happens it happens... that is me being brave!!!

Tomorrow I face, what in my book is the challenge of all challenges. The community nurse is coming here to teach me how to inject myself into the stomach... Perhaps the above disasaters weren't enough of an indicator that needles and I do not go together, unless of course it is for new tattoos... Oops! I will be shown how to do this, as the drug that I will be injecting is a stimulant to help the marrow in your bones create more white blood cells at a faster pace. The aim of this is to try to alleviate some of the nasty side effects of the chemo in that 'middle period' between chemo sessions. After all, chemo is a toxin, it is the chemical warfare that will kill this cancer. Cancer absorbs the chemo faster than your body does which is how it is killed, before you are... lol... naturally there will be side effects.

This Welsh Warrior is going to take it all in her stride!

Night for now folks. I hope that you are enjoying the blogs. Feel free to leave a comment in the comment box. All I as is that you be kind. Thank you for taking the time to read my blogging. I will keep you all up to date at regular intervals as treatment and recovery progress. Night night once again.