Hey, anyone missed me? 

Week two of cycle one found me in Hospital! And when I got out yesterday, my Hair started to fall out. - Been a bit of a week ...

Friday was day 8 for me. Started with a sore throat Thursday evening, then a raised temp - 37.8! What do you do with 37.8? Monitor all night whether it exceeds 38, which it didn't, and get yourself a sleepless night in the meantime. lol 

Friday morning I went to my GP, as recommended by the onc, to get oral antibiotics. And whilst I was there, just get full bloods done. 

Friday, 6pm: phone call from said GP: you need to be admitted! Your neutrophils (part of my white blood cells) were at Zero! 

So, I then spent 5 nights on 3 different wards ... because there was no room on the oncology ward to begin with. And I had a VERY VERY sore mouth! 

But, all better, by Wednesday morning. Ready to maybe head home again, when disaster struck again ... and I woke with loads of hair on my WHITE pillowcase. :( Not cool. My nurses had quite a job to recover my composure. - They were BRILLIANT! 

So, allowed home, with a stunning amount of neutrophils of 1.1! Only to go be brave and get the clippers out. - Must say, for all I was very upset and very worried: I am fine. My son did the honours, and I had a huge amount of compliments when finished. So, it's all good! 

And I am now wearing my beautiful head scarves, apart from anything, because my head feels cold!! - and it feels weird under the shower, lol. 

Dorothee xx

Hi Dorothee

Yes I missed you?  What's the H & H for?  Hair and hospital or hell and highwater!

Mary xx

Welcome back lovely lady you have been through the wars but glad you see you are fighting back Big hugs xxxx

Hey Dorothee,

Of course we missed you !!! How are you doing now ? That sounds like you have been thru the wars in the last week or so, was there nothing on television so you fancied the excitement !! 5 nights on 3 wards sounds like the package holiday from hell - just why are hospitals so under resourced these days

Are you on FEC ? Sorry I lose track what cocktail people are taking as so many junkies on here

Sending you hugsss xoxo

Hi ya Dorothee,

So sorry to hear you had such a crap crap time !! What cocktail are you on? How are you feeling now since you joined the baldy beaut gal group ? Make sure to keep your head moisturised, I find it prevents the itching..... Well pet, I sincerely hope your feeling much better & getting stronger every day. This shit journey will soon be over for all of us so we must stay brave ....Lots of love & hugs to you,

Patricia xxx

Hi Dorothee

Sorry you've had a rough time with Hospital and Hair, but pleased to see you still have your sense of humour!!

At least the next cycle can't be any worse! My second FEC (am presuming yours was FEC) was better than first so definitely fingers crossed for you next cycle.............

Clare xx

Hi dorothee Oh poor you! I hope you're feeling a little better now. When I had my first EC chemo, I was feeling a little grotty after 1 week, and my temperature went up to 37.8. So I went to the hospital that evening (9pm, had to scramble baby sit at last minute), just to check it out, I thought they'd laugh and send me home.... No such luck, they instantly cleared a private room for me, and took my bloods... Blood levels way down. Brilliant. So I said naively "will I be able to go home now?". As if. They told me I'd be in for a week. it took ages for the doctor to arrive (2am). Good thn fr the baby sit that we have a large comfy sofa to sleep on... For me it was IV thing in place, and antibiotics every 8 hours.... I was allowed home a week later. I went in with all my hair. Like yours, it came out in large amounts while in hospital. I felt so guilty when the shower was clogged up.... But the nurses were lovely and calmed me down. I came home with much less hair, and two days later it was 99.99% gone. I could not believe how cold you can get without hair! At night too, it took me a little while to figure out that it makes sense to wear a chemo hat/beanie at night too. The good news is that I managed to stay out of hospital after each of my next 7 chemo sessions. I was given extra bone strengthening drugs, after each chemo, so my blood levels stayed up :-). So I hope your hospital stay was a one off too! Wishing you the very best with the rest of your treatment :-) Caroline

Thanks everyone,

I am sure my bloods are back to happy levels, and my sore mouth is recovered too. 

Yes, I am on FEC, and I think they slightly ODed me, lol. So, next round is gonna be a bit different on the dosages. I am meeting my onc on Wednesday to find out. 

My tastebuds are all over the place: like being pregnant all over again ... I have always been such a sweet tooth - but pregnancy and chemo seem to change that. So, it's out with the cream cakes and chocs, and in with anything vinegary. Caffeine doesn't do it anymore, so I am drinking fruit teas instead. All very bizarre. 

I remember a few days after the chemo, when I hadn't had an appetite at all, and my neighbour said she was going to get a chinese .... well, that was it, I was hooked. 

And hair, well: the lady garden is having an autumn season. So, if my hair on my head had been doing that, then I am glad I have gone for the plunge. ;) 

Dorothee xx