2010 - 19th October - Chemo Round 3 - Cycle 1

So here I am ready for chemo again (ready, but never really prepared).  I took my green drink, a travel mug of green tea and a green apple in a bag, together with clipboard, thread and beads.

Everyone loves my new hair.  Yeah.  So do I, oh well.

A few of the staff took an interest in me knotting bracelets, the tiny red cross lady (tabbard printed with "Volunteer Extraordinaire") has ordered 2 for her grand-daughters and the receptionist will be after one for her son's girlfriend once she's found out her favourite colour.  Ray asked if the clipboard is the only "machinery" I use - that, my hands and my brain.  After three years he still uses me as an example to patients who cannot get their neutraphil counts up enough to have chemo (after five deferrals the biggest boost I ever got, despite injecting myself with GCSF, was by going to Beating Bowel Cancer's comedy night at the Comedy Store).

Three years, and I am the one with the worst bloods - or just the one who managed to prove that laughter, in fact, can be the best medicine?

I was there about 3.5 hours, some fluids, 30 mins of Irinotecan, a tablet to prevent sickness, an injection to prevent stomach cramps and a 2 hour infusion of Folinic Acid, then connection to the 5FU pump.

Still rather painful going to the loo, as expected.

Didn't feel too bad leaving the hospital, mildly "ill" in that 5FU way.  The queasiness crept in slowly so I managed a small bowl of soup and half a banana with yoghurt.  Went to bed feeling sick with some extra pain in my left pelvis and feeling miserable.

Wednesday 20th October


Woke up, felt sick.  Went to the loo, felt pain.  After an hour I managed almost a whole slice of wheat free bread and marmite.  At lunch time I took another hour over an apple and 3/4 of a small bowl of soup again in the afternoon.  Drinking water makes me feel ill, moving to fetch it makes me feel ill.  But, as before, although I feel sick it never gets further than that.  Sis picked up my script of patches and the new lollies (lozenges on sticks = lollies) for breakthrough pain.  Tried one.  Felt weird and spacey for a few minutes but it did knock the edge of the pain.  They weren't as sickly as I expected they'd be at all.  It's a horrible situation - I don't have an appetite but I've been forcing myself to eat.  I feel sick - so I really don't want to eat, which makes me feel more sick.  I really hoped it wouldn't kick in so soon.