So cycle #4 is moving into the unknown with paclitaxel given weekly for the next 9 weeks and Herceptin every three weeks.
Arrived at the cancer centre at 9.45am for a 10am appointment, they were running late so I didn't actually get a chair until 10.45am, happy to chill, wait and read my new book (Memoirs of a Geisha).
I had a lovely nurse today (makes such a difference), she explained what would happen and I had the usual checks, blood pressure and questions about side effects from last time.
I was set up with the saline drip, she put the cannula in (I hate this part) but I barely felt a thing so she's obviously done this many times before - total pro! Told her I want her to be my nurse every week.
Pre-meds given, some by tablet and some through the IV. One of the IV steroids gives you a weird itchy bum feeling - very odd. Wait 20 minutes or so for them to take effect so I start my iPad off. I'm watching the third season of Virgin River,I've saved it for this exact purpose. My partner says it's pure drivel 
but I don't care, perfect programme for escapism.
Paclitaxel is then set up and this takes an hour so I get settled in. It's now about 11.40am, a lady comes round with a lunch trolley so I get a ham sandwich on granary and a yogurt.
The paclitaxel finishes and we wait a bit longer for the saline to finish going through. It's then time for the Herceptin. This injection is the main reason I'm having chemo because it's targeting the HER2 part of my cancer. We go into a side room and the nurse explains it will go in my thighs and needs to be a different thigh each time. I'll have this injection every three weeks for a year.
So leggings down and she starts, she has to do it very slowly 2-5 minutes as otherwise it will hurt. I then go back and wait for 30 minutes to check I have no side effects as it's the first time I've had it.
My mum picks me up at 2pm so an allotted 2 hour appointment has actually taken 4 hours. I feel fine so next week I know I'll be ok to drive myself. I really do hate relying on people.
So far, I haven't felt that woozy, drunk feeling I had with EC. No nausea or sickness. Slept rubbish but that will be the steroids.
Need to keep up with the fluids and anti-sickness and steroids and then I have 2 flistagrim injections to do today and tomorrow.
Hoping this is kind to me. Eight cycles to go.
