I'm still here and still ranting!
First of all the chemo itself wasn't bad at all. The staff were all charming in the unit, welcomed me by first name and fitted me in as soon as they could. Two emergencies had made appointments 1-2hours late most of the day. So I talked to other patients also waiting. Some had had several cycles, others were having their first like me.
Called in by a nurse I knew well. Drip set up expertly in a hand vein, no pain at all. Saline wash through the line first then the chemo. I was talking to the woman on the recliner chair next to me. There were some nine or so of us all at various stages of our drips. She had no hair and was proud of it as she had shaved off the remains for some charity or other and had been well sponsored.
Then I felt it. I sort of ping, ping, ping of little stabs in my spine, chest, abdomen and pelvis. Not really painful but I was alarmed and told the nurse as instructed. It lasted about 30 seconds. As she took my BP and pulse, (both OK), the sensation came again but less intense and it did not return. I guess the rats in all my mets felt the attack of the chemo and yelled out "It's the poison, this is the end".
After that everything was OK, The chemo was followed by the zolandronate that they call bone glue in the unit. No problem. Felt comfortable and relaxed after the piriton in the drip that had prevented any allergic reaction. Left the chemo room and went up to the canteen, at 1915 still open, and had a cup of tea. Felt great and passed OK to drive home. Home safely by 2010. So what was the great problem?
This morning very tired but driven by the extra steroid I had to take to cover the chemo. Worked a little in the garden and felt OK. Then rested until lunch. Then the mind started. I go manic on steroids and as the day wore on I've become more and more tired with a mind that won't rest. My wife and I tried to do puzzles at which I normally beat her but I was putting the numbers in the wrong rows and columns and messed up two. All at double speed and all inaccurate. Then I started to talk, about things that had gone wrong in my work, about people I'd seen today and laughed with. One moment I was laughing with her and the next in floods of tears. What a mess. She coped admirably.
So, finally, chemo is not bad at all. Side effects none that you read about, nausea, vomiting and the rest but oh..! these steroids. Side effect is either mania or deep depression. Tomorrow I go back to those I'm used to for the past 8 months so I should settle down. Still typing at twice my normal speed now and mind still in a while. Hope tomorrow, day 2 is better.
