Q & A about chemo

I'm three down of the four BBC's (Big Bad Chemos). I can't wait to get the last out of the way even as I'm dreading it.

It occurred to me last night that so many people have questions about the actual chemo and side effects, etc., and they mostly seem afraid to ask for fear of being intrusive (which you're not! It doesn't bother me :-)) But I thought I'd post a blog illuminating some of the mystery.

Day of chemo, Richie and I go see Dr. Shah my primary oncologist. She gives me a look-over and says some encouraging words then sends me off for breakfast and then chemo.

After we check in, we wait maybe five minutes then get told a room number ("room 1" or "room 5", etc.) we go down a hall and find our room and pick a corner. Each room has either two or four corners with two lazy boys in each corner. The nurses are funny and nice and there are always volunteers who come and ask if we need drinks or blankets. (I never need a blanket because Lara Finer, a friend through Richard, made me one :-))

There's always other patients with their respective loved ones sharing the room and they always say hi.

The first two treatments I met some ladies who told me they'd been at this for a very long time. Four years for one lady, three for another. They said in their cases, the cancer had shrunk with the chemo, but before the docs could operate, the cancer grew back. They look tired and dry. One looked especially brittle, like a twig or kindling wood. Bless them, they just keep at it. I prayed for them (silently) and asked not to be in their seat. Six months is enough for me.

Anywho, the nurse tests my blood to make sure my chemical levels are down and my platelets and other things are up and if everything is copacetic, she hooks the IV's of chemical bags to my port. (It's a plastic port, under my skin, already attached to a primary vein so they don't have to puncture anything but skin each time.)

An hour and a half later, I leave.

When I get home, I have a brand new bike tire hanging off my belly that lasts for a few days. I'm thirsty and drink and drink, but never get un-dry. I don't feel too bad day one and two because I take anti-nausea meds and steroids in pill form that gives me energy. I take advantage of these days, exercising and cleaning and feeling alive. Day three I start to feel a little dizzy, nothing too major, then I go in for my blood count shot. The chemo targets fast growing cells, and your white and red blood cells are fast growing, so after a few days, these counts drop. This kills off your immunity system as well as making it hard for your blood to clot, cuts to heal, etc.

I can attest to the slow healing process. I twisted my ankle a few days before I started all this and it's still not right. I got two little blisters on my thumbs after kayaking and they got worse, not better. And don't even ask about my teeth. Really.

OK, so the shot. It boosts my blood count. Blood mostly grows in your bones, so for some reason, this shot makes your bones ache. I tell people it feels a little like being a used pinyata (spelling?!) Everywhere feels bruised for several days (days four through six) Then this fades. Yay!

Around day four I get off the nausea meds and deal with a little queeziness. No big deal now that I learned to stay on the pills longer!

All along I loathe the bloat. Richie tells me not to lose sight of the goal, to kill the cancer, whenever I start complaining about my blossoming mid-section. My ever positive sunshiney sister Yvette says I can look forward to fooling my metabolism when this is all done. It will be asleep at the wheel when I ramp up my exercise.

Now weird little things start happening. Like my mouth. It sort of throbs. It doesn't hurt while this happens. It's just strange to feel your heart beat in your GUMS! But the throbbing sensation warned me to be on the lookout for that lovely litttle herpes virus I have and sure enough, it caught me last go round and is hanging about. The first blister occurred in an unusual place for me, in my back molar gum, but has since hit its regular favorite spots, my tongue and my lip. Yesterday the lip blistered a bit, but not too terribly bad. I got something called magic mouthwash from the pharmacy. NAsty stuff. But it numbs my mouth.

Ok, so there's a little stomach upset that happened this time. I'd previously noted swallowing bubbles burned. No more beer, and more importantly and horribly, no champagne! Boo! But I digress.

Each time, the burning got a little worse and affected a little bigger area. It's like this: I swallow anything and it burns its way down to my belly. Sometimes burns its way back up to my throat. I don't mean this as a complaint, just as a bit of info for anyone who's interested and so you might know for anyone who might ever go through this. It fades away, too! and is gone now so long as I stay away from bubbles. Especially bubbles with alcohol. That's not too hard really, cuz you don't really want it. Occasionally, you think you do, then you take a sip and realize no, you don't. (except once in a blue moon when you do! :-))

Fatigue was a major issue the first round. A little less the second, and this time, it seems even less, although i may have gotten better at managing it. Sometimes you just have to sit down. Sometimes even when you're walking your dogs. So I do.

Exercise seems to be the key to feeling good. Not high intensity, but long work outs that keep your blood flowing and your lungs breathing in oxygen. Bike rides, walking, kayaking, pilates. I really love yoga and everyone knows I miss the running, but now that my knee's on the mend, I'm waiting for my ankle to catch up. I assume this is all part of the plan. Can you say slow down?

People ask me how I deal with the boredom. Can I please tell you I (almost) never get bored! For one thing, I don't have time. Things like laundry and cleaning and walking my dogs take much longer than they used to. I spend time talking with family and friends, mostly via phone and email, but also in planned, spaced, get-togethers. I still exercise and what used to take forty minutes takes an hour and a half. I rest.

And then there's the writing. Most of you know I've written a few books and have been trying to get an agent and get published for going on five years now. I can sit and write for hours, and I do, and the time flies by.

I hope this hasn't been too boring, and that it answers some of the questions you might have had about this whole chemo thing.

Oh, yes, one more thing people always wonder. The treatment schedule. The last of the BBC's is November 3rd. Starting November 22nd, I start my once-a-week treatments, and they go through February 7th. It's going to be one drug and I hear the side effects are minimal. To the ladies who are planning to visit me in January, I can't wait! Richard has already agreed to make a "sacrifice" and go away on some boys trip so we can take over the house :-) I just need a date!

Have a wonderful day!