Last chemo side effects

I was so thrilled that the chemotherapy was finally over and started to make all these plans -- where, what and how. I was completely convinced that by the fifth day, Monday I would be back to life as I remember it.

Not so fast, it turned out. My blood cell count dropped dramatically, so did the appetite and the fatigue just .... covered me. By Tuesday I was still in bed, barely moving and now frantically searching what else to watch on Netflix. Due to overwhelming headaches, I was unable to do anything else. The new series "The Diplomat" took the edge off. I did manage a few hours at a friend's birthday party, but the next day I had to recover from that.

Now my mantra: the chemo is over and I just have to be patient for another week or so. But, to quote "The Princess Bride" -- I hate waiting!

Last chemo !

Today was my LAST chemo!! I AM DONE WITH CHEMO!✅

I survived the total of 16 infusions -- first were 12 TC, and then an additional 4 AC chemotherapies. This probably calls for some sort of celebration, but for now I still have to recover from the side-effects of this last one (so maybe in a week). But it is done! Now life can probably start to slowly get back to normal.

Of course, there is still all the testing to see if the cancer cells were killed off or if there are still some left, the surgery and radiation, but at least I am hoping to recover from the overwhelming fatigue to my regular daily energy levels, which is what I miss the most.

And, of course, the hair!! My head never went completely bald, but the dandelion hair is already starting to get thicker and sturdier....

3rd AC chemo

This chemo was hard. I was sick the night before so could barely muster the strength to get to the hospital. And, of course, this was the day when everything had to go wrong...

First, we ended up waiting extra time to every appointment: labs, doctor, infusion and time was as slow as molasses.

Second, there is a very distracted, overwhelmed nurse. We had got her during my very first infusion when told us she didn't know what to do, and even this time she was as disorganized as ever and everything took too long. But the icing on the cake was when we finally left the hospital and she called back in half an hour to let us know that she forgot to attach the Neulasta patch and we have to go back.

Thirdly, when we finally got back to the hospital, she hurriedly attached the shot capsule in a small hidden room to the side of my arm in a way that for the next day I couldn't use the arm much as the capsule stuck out at odd angle.

After living through, now, 15 chemo sessions I can say --- I hate chemo with a vengeance. And I have been dealt the "easy hand" --- I managed to avoid a lot of side effects that others  suffer though.... and it is still really tough. The cumulative effect just slowly swallows you whole like a whale. The overwhelming fatigue, that no sleep can cure, the coughing, sensitivity to smells, lack of sleep, getting tired of walking for more than 20 minutes....

I have one more chemo left, the last one and it is like the tantalizing new horizon of my normal, regular life back, just dangling there almost at a hand reach. 

 

5th chemo

5th chemotherapy done ✅

This time, no steroid drugs or allergy meds needed (Benadryl), just a little Zofran and Pepcid to get the job done. 

This is how we roll now and going forward! Now my premeds will not change.

Oh, and I managed to convince the acupuncturist that I will not digest the "ear seeds" she sticks on as treatment, unlike, I guess the majority of cancer paitients,...so she agreed to let me keep them on for the prescribed 5 days vs 1 hour. Will see if that makes any difference.

Chemo went off without a hitch --- just stung a bit, a fun flick, and some H2O... and was home in 5 hours. 

Any movie recommendations? I am running out of things to watch :)