27/7/2006
Well my goodness who ever tagged the word therapy to Chemotheapy had to be a bit cruel . Therapy is supposed to be good for you and I suppose it is in a way killing cancer cells but it doesnt feel like its good for me!

Well I've had all four of my first lot of chemo. Its Called Epirubicen & Cyclophosphamide or EC as its nick named. Treatment 2 was OK but 3 was a major pain as you know Ive been staying overnight the first night of chemo because of the nausea factor & the last time in hospital was an absolute pain: chemo unit was short staffed & over booked & so was the ward & to top it off the food was a very poor excuse (especially for a private Hosp).
I would have verry very happly fed it to my chooks! (ersonally I think even they would have turned up their beaks to it!

So I was determined to change that next time - I have been having trouble with my veins. Basicaly where the veins are that were use for chemo, pain runs up my arm, almost all of the time.
So I had a PICC line put in just before chemo 4 and then refused to stay in hospital preffering to go agains my oncologists request to stay in hosp and stay at home after chemo.
It turned out to be a great decision as I was much better at home - I got some friends to help me with the drugs I needed to make it throught the nausea stage of chemo.

This is usually how it feels to have chemo.
Day 1: The Chemo Drugs given cause nasty nausea so I have ondansetron & dexamethasone for the first 36 hours IV. 
Day 2 : is pretty good but I have an injection called Neulasta that boosts my body to produce extra White blood cells - having this helps me fight infection, and combats the chemos effects on killing all fast growing cells including cancer cells & blood cells & hair cells & mucous membranse like you mouth cells and gut & bowel cells. 
Day 3: Start to feel the cellular effects of the chemo very tired and side effects of the neulasta - which is bone pain, but panadol helps this, food tastes like crap mostly I love vegemite toast & ice cream. Stay on the lounge & watch DVD's with the kids as its saturday.
Day 4: same as before Day 5 usually feeling like eating food - cheese crackers are nice with lemonade.
Day 5: feeling like Im running on about 50% and getting slolwy better day by day - tummy is now like bloating and grumbly nothing realy satisifies you & always tired. Mouth feels like its furry and all taste is gone.
Day 6: Up and bored with lying around but cant do much.
Day 7: Running on 70% felling brighter and able to drive car. Im out of here gotta shop & have coffee! (chia tea really).