CANCER
Entry posted by stessie
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My next round of chemo is scheduled for February 23 and if I can stay healthy, my final will be March 19. Just wanted to blog tonight about some of the unpleasant side effects (maybe just to get them off my mind):
1) Your nose drip, drip, drips all day once you lose your nostril hair. It's really more annoying than anything.
2) My chemo drip takes 6 hours...that's a lot of talking with the person who came with you, reading, and listening to music.
3) Day 3 and 4 after chemo seem to be the most difficult...that's when side effects begin happening.
4) The neulasta shot given within 24 hours after receiving your chemo (to increase white blood cell count) strikes me with bone pain on my stroke affected
side and has been very painful. The cost for each shot is $3,000 and I have a 20% percent co-pay (ouch).
5) Cancer is very expensive...co-pays on radiation, chemo, doctor visits, and etc.
6) I lost my hair on Day 12 after my first chemo. When it started coming out in clumps, I asked my daughter if I looked like Uncle Fester. I have some
fun wigs and hats.
7) I have lost over 20 pounds since the first of the year. You really do not have an appetite and the smell of some foods can cause you to gag.
8) Sores in the mouth from chemo begin a few days after you receive it and are there for about 7 more days...I do use non-alcoholic mouth wash
and another prescribed medicine.
9) There are so many pills associated with cancer and chemo that it scares me. The day before each chemo treatment I have to take 10 steroid pills. Of course, you are so wired the night before treatment that on my last round, I cleaned the refrigerator and freezer at 3 am. You take pills to combat neausea, stomach ailments, skin rashes, and etc.
10) Everyone gets it...it's either constipation or diarhea, and there are more pills for this.
11) My veins are holding up well. I elected not to have a port put in as this was another surgery and another co-pay.
12) No leg shaving, underarm shaving, and etc. as the hair goes away after the first chemo.
13) Fatigue associated with chemo....believe me, it's real.
14) When you go in on chemo day, you PRAY you will receive it. Whoever thought I would be asking for and praying for chemo. Once your blood work comes back, it is determined whether or not you will proceed. I am trying to stay healthy so I can get this over with.
15) There are so many doctor appointments. It will be nice when this is over to have a week without them.
And, I have met some of the nicest people on this cancer journey. I go to a Support Group each Tuesday night for folks in active breast cancer treatment and have made some nice friends. I have a good team of doctors and I love the oncology staff at the hospital.
I am praying that I beat breast cancer and can return to some sense of normalcy in life. I know it can happen as I came back from stroke in April of '07.
For the most part, I have a positive attitude...but there are a few days when you are vomiting, have bone pain, and etc. that it really can get to you.
Thanks for listening. I just felt like blogging tonight and sharing some of the experience.
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