Its been a difficult week, I was quite sick up until wednesday. We went in for chemo but I was much too ill so they gave me a few bags of fluids instead, and tried to get me a room. None was available though so we came back the next day instead. I was feeling better, but we had to wait for a doc to be available to review me and make sure I was up to it before I could start. So, we spent about 5 hours at hospital waiting, when he eventually arrived he said I'd have to be admitted to do it today, and i would be kept in over the weekend. I rejected this idea.
We went back again on friday, did the chemo, and went home. So far I'm feeling ok. Haven't really been sick a few days, and without the nastiest and most time consuming drug involved I'm coping ok so far. Very tired though and feeling irritable. So extra glad I'm not in hospital. That'd be a nightmare.
We go back in tomorrow morning for more fluids and a review. Hopefully I wont get much worse than I am now and wont need ot be admitted. Hopefully we've broken the cycle of nausea and I'l be able to get on with life and recovery in a few days time.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Radiotherapy
So radiotherapy- not a breeze. When describing the side effects they sort of just mumbled about how there might be some nausea, and it would be nothing to chemo.
Long story short, lots of nausea this week, and LOTs of intense fatigue. I am so very tired. We went in to see my oncologist yesterday and as soon as we'd seen him we were sent into the treatment for more fluids since I was getting quite dehydrated again. That really helped break the cycle of vomiting leading to dehydration, and dehydration leading to vomiting. I dont think I've been sick since actually, which is grand. I'm eating again, and drinking water and ice tea, though am yet to get out of bed today.
My hair (head, eyebrows and lashes) has begun falling out again. Its a tedious process, but at least I dont have to start plucking my eyebrows again! Though short eyelash hairs breaking off into your eyes is not a fun process. And you look even more noticeably sick with no eyelashes.
There is positive news though! My oncologist thinks that I will not wind up having all 14 rounds of chemo (presumably because of the response to the first pre-surgery 6). Also, the next round or two will not involve doxorubicin, which is the nastiest drug, and is the one that makes it tae three days. So next weeks round will now be one day in duration and hopefully somewhat less toxic.
Long story short, lots of nausea this week, and LOTs of intense fatigue. I am so very tired. We went in to see my oncologist yesterday and as soon as we'd seen him we were sent into the treatment for more fluids since I was getting quite dehydrated again. That really helped break the cycle of vomiting leading to dehydration, and dehydration leading to vomiting. I dont think I've been sick since actually, which is grand. I'm eating again, and drinking water and ice tea, though am yet to get out of bed today.
My hair (head, eyebrows and lashes) has begun falling out again. Its a tedious process, but at least I dont have to start plucking my eyebrows again! Though short eyelash hairs breaking off into your eyes is not a fun process. And you look even more noticeably sick with no eyelashes.
There is positive news though! My oncologist thinks that I will not wind up having all 14 rounds of chemo (presumably because of the response to the first pre-surgery 6). Also, the next round or two will not involve doxorubicin, which is the nastiest drug, and is the one that makes it tae three days. So next weeks round will now be one day in duration and hopefully somewhat less toxic.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Busy week
Its been a bit of a crazy week. After I got home from hospital last week I was still feeling pretty terrible, and actually got quite sick on... saturday? I think? Anyway, I couldn't keep anything down and we had the community nurses out a lot, and after three days of not really eating or drinking the nurses decided I needed a review and sent us off to TCH emergency room.
Mum and i spent about 16 hours in emergency. Not waiting to get in mind you- I have a special letter for post chemo which means they let me through immediately. We got in at about midnight monday night and they hooked me up to some fluids and ran various tests etc and we tried to sleep. I was going to be discharged in the morning, but the doctors changed over, and the new doctor came in while I was being sick and said "come on, there is no way I can let you go like this. You're not any better, you need to be here." So, I changed my mind. As it turned out i was a bit neutropenic (my white blood cells were low and I had very little immune system) so they moved me to a separate room in emergency to keep the sick people away from me a bit.
Since I was neutropenic it took some time to get me a room, as I had to have my own room in acute care on oncology. So eventually (mid afternoon I think) they found me a room and sent me up. I think mum and I slept most of the afternoon (the emergency bed and chairs are not the most comfortable). Later mum went home, and I had some visiters which was absolutely delightful.
After I'd had plenty of fluids the next day they sent me home. So this was wednesday. It turned out I was low on hemoglobin, which helped explain why i was still so so tired and breathless, so I was scheduled for some blood tests over the weekend to see if it came up.
On thursday we saw my oncologist, who said that it was not at all likely it would come up on its own, and that I'd need a transfusion next week. However I couldn't see the point in waiting if I was going to hav it anyway- waiting would just mean more days of feeling terrible, so i asked and I was scheduled in for the next day (friday). That afternoon I had my first radiotherapy appointment, which was really easy, and a bit futuristic actually. Lots of lasers. Not for zapping me with, but for lining me up so they can be exact about where they get the radiation. It only takes 10 minutes once I'm in there.
So yesterday morn mum and I headed over to hospital again and sat for 5 hours while they gave me a couple of bags of blood. Gross. Luckily there was a volunteer there doing hand and foot massages which was lovely. After the transfusion it was straight over to radiation for my second radiotherapy appointment. This one would have been even quicker than the first, except for one very annoying and chatty nurse who took much longer than was necessary to explain the skin care stuff to me. She took about 10 minutes, when all she needed to do was say "here is the cream. Put on the cream twice daily during treatment. Goodbye". She was trying to be helpful I suppose but just came off irritating and pushy.
Today I am feeling much better. I have normal energy and am going out with mum at some point and plan to do some walking. I've spent most of the last few weeks in a wheelchair or bed and am looking forward to getting some exercise, however slight.
Hope everyone is well x
Mum and i spent about 16 hours in emergency. Not waiting to get in mind you- I have a special letter for post chemo which means they let me through immediately. We got in at about midnight monday night and they hooked me up to some fluids and ran various tests etc and we tried to sleep. I was going to be discharged in the morning, but the doctors changed over, and the new doctor came in while I was being sick and said "come on, there is no way I can let you go like this. You're not any better, you need to be here." So, I changed my mind. As it turned out i was a bit neutropenic (my white blood cells were low and I had very little immune system) so they moved me to a separate room in emergency to keep the sick people away from me a bit.
Since I was neutropenic it took some time to get me a room, as I had to have my own room in acute care on oncology. So eventually (mid afternoon I think) they found me a room and sent me up. I think mum and I slept most of the afternoon (the emergency bed and chairs are not the most comfortable). Later mum went home, and I had some visiters which was absolutely delightful.
After I'd had plenty of fluids the next day they sent me home. So this was wednesday. It turned out I was low on hemoglobin, which helped explain why i was still so so tired and breathless, so I was scheduled for some blood tests over the weekend to see if it came up.
On thursday we saw my oncologist, who said that it was not at all likely it would come up on its own, and that I'd need a transfusion next week. However I couldn't see the point in waiting if I was going to hav it anyway- waiting would just mean more days of feeling terrible, so i asked and I was scheduled in for the next day (friday). That afternoon I had my first radiotherapy appointment, which was really easy, and a bit futuristic actually. Lots of lasers. Not for zapping me with, but for lining me up so they can be exact about where they get the radiation. It only takes 10 minutes once I'm in there.
So yesterday morn mum and I headed over to hospital again and sat for 5 hours while they gave me a couple of bags of blood. Gross. Luckily there was a volunteer there doing hand and foot massages which was lovely. After the transfusion it was straight over to radiation for my second radiotherapy appointment. This one would have been even quicker than the first, except for one very annoying and chatty nurse who took much longer than was necessary to explain the skin care stuff to me. She took about 10 minutes, when all she needed to do was say "here is the cream. Put on the cream twice daily during treatment. Goodbye". She was trying to be helpful I suppose but just came off irritating and pushy.
Today I am feeling much better. I have normal energy and am going out with mum at some point and plan to do some walking. I've spent most of the last few weeks in a wheelchair or bed and am looking forward to getting some exercise, however slight.
Hope everyone is well x
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