Days 2-4 are the dexamethasone days, I guess the steroids aim to take you through the first hit of the chemo. I took 2 with the infusion and then had 12 to bring home - 2 to have with breakfast and 2 with lunch on each of days 2-4. I am also crunching calcium / Vit D tablets to go with the Zoledronic acid twice daily for the next 3 years.
I wondered if I would get some terrible steroid urges. I remembered a relative who tried palliative chemo for terminal pancreatic cancer getting up and spending most of the night on his exercise bike until he had to be hospitalised. But nothing like that. It didn’t stop me having a good night’s sleep on the first couple of nights either, although the third night was a bit more disturbed. Most importantly, it has kept me going. Days 2 and 3 were pretty normal, save for a bit of gastric reflux that started building on day 3 and peaked around mid afternoon on day 4. It seems back under control now and I am hoping that’s that. Omeprazole seems to be the answer to this one.
i am lucky that I have not had even the slightest hint of nausea and haven’t needed the various ginger treats I laid in. Which means no anti sickness medication and no constipation. One of the horrors of the early cycle avoided. I have also hung onto my sense of taste so far, I have had a few lunches out and we went round to a friend’s for dinner - tried a glass of wine too.
I drove myself up to the MacMillan Centre in the hospital yesterday for a wig fitting. Apart from the parting being on the opposite side to my own hair, I was able to be fitted in something that’s a very close match to my own style and colour. Really easy to choose as it just looked right on me. They had the colour I wanted in too small a size, but I tried on a different colour to get the size, correct wig ordered and it’s already arrived. I don’t expect to use it much. I am a now retired senior Exec and still sit on a number of boards, so will be able to keep some dignity when I go to meetings. I don’t think anyone will notice, they will just think I have changed my hair slightly. I will continue to cold cap (unless it sheds too much) but have a hairdresser’s appointment next week to take it shorter - it’s already an undercut pixie so it won’t need much more off. I just can’t stand the idea of a bed and shower full of hair every day.
I am hoping to use the last bit of the cover I have from the steroids to complete my 200th parkrun tomorrow morning. The port is still sore so I think I will just walk it. Then it’s onto the phase of immunity boosting injections. I expect this bit will be tougher and will report back in a few days.
