The Chemo Rollercoaster

After 12 weeks of my first chemo drug I was so relieved to be moving on, despite the fact I’d been told the next two drugs were harsher.

Taxol had finally caught up with me. After round 10 I had started having numbness and tingling in my arms and legs and aches and pains across my back and down my arms. Round 11 was worse and round 12 was a little bit frightening.  The whole of my back was numb and my face. Much like when you go to the dentist and they give you an injection to numb the area and it numbs your face. My eye also started twitching so I was winking at everyone (not many takers though for someone with no hair). I had to be careful in the bath as I’d lost sensation to heat so I gave those up for a few days ...... Pooh! It’s hard enough to bath with one arm hanging out all the time (I can’t get my picc line wet) without worrying if you’re scalding yourself too.

Whilst I was nervous about starting my epirubicin and cyclophosphamide this week, I just wanted to get going and know what it was like. These drugs are administered two weeks apart as your blood takes longer to recover and it wipes you out more. Unlike taxol you are extremely unlikely to react as you have the infusion so I managed to remain relaxed which must have been welcome relief for the nurses after the last one. Becky and Sam had had one of these drugs and were extremely brave so no pressure on me to man up!

Day 1 was bizarre. My first wee was bright red which I knew would happen but not so quick, I hadn’t even left the hospital. It made me giggle as I remember Sam as a 4 year old telling his friends excitedly that he had red wee. I got home and within two hours I felt like I had been drinking and some of my words were hard to get out. It’s not the same when you haven’t had a bottle of wine!  it feels very strange. Before chemo I had been given steroids and anti sickness tablets and whilst I had nausea I wasn’t throwing up. What really helped me was that I have made a lovely friend in chemo called Hayley and we have done our drugs the other way round which means we have been able to give each other an insight into what the other drugs are like. Having Hayley to tell me what to expect was so great and we both had a positive mental attitude which made such a difference.

Day 2

Lead legs, lead head and no energy. I was going nowhere, well to be fair from bed to settee and back again.

Dosed up with steroids and anti sickness.

Day 3

Feeling a lot better!

Time to start injecting myself. 7 days of a drug to stimulate white cell production in your bone marrow to get your bloods better.

I bravely got the needle out, took the cap off and then shouted RUFUS! Was slightly concerned how much he wanted to do it!

And the last 24 hours I’m a little bit jaded and wobbly as my steroids are wearing off but the sun is shining, I’m getting stronger every day and I have a weeks break. Plus it’s my birthday this week so lots to look forward to.

And after that well I’ll just knuckle down for the last three. This chemo isn’t going to get the better of me, I can see the end now.......