... but then no-one ever claimed it would be.
A week into my first cycle of chemo and this is the story so far:
Last Tuesday the clinic was running 90 mins late so it was some time before I was set up with the cannula to receive my dose of Oxaliplatin. My veins did not want to play ball so it was a case of third time lucky before this happened successfully. I had a heat pack which makes it less painful, but this cooled down over the afternoon (the actual chemo delivery takes a couple of hours or so not including flushes of the line). Unfortunately the busy nurses forgot to bring it back when it was taken away to warm up again and I really felt a chill in my arm. Also, I somehow managed to knock the equipment shortly before the end - I thought it had finished so waited patiently for someone to come and release me from the agony only to be told that unfortunately there was still some drug in there so I had longer than I expected as it was set going again.
I was immediately cold sensitive and the arm the drug went into was sore and extremely sensitive to touch. The slightest accidental knock felt like a punch with studded fist. (I imagine - never having actually experienced this sort of punch of course). The soreness has worn off, and only a minor tenderness remains. The first few days I was getting loads of pins and needles in response to the slightest temperature variation, or prolongued activity such as putting clean washing away. The cold weather kept me from going out for a couple of days and it is only really today that I've felt free of these symptoms.
A PICC line suddenly seems like a good idea! I gather that the localised discomfort is far less with a line so although the pins and needles would still be an issue, there would be less pain.
In the meantime, other symptoms have come (and gone and come back again), namely: nausea, diarrhoea and general lethargy. As I am on twice daily capecitibine, I am trying to work out when best to take the anti-sickness and anti-diarrhoea medication to counteract these symptoms.
This is a long post but a lot has happened in a week. Unfortunately I don't feel as robust as I did before starting chemo. I have been emotionally strong through this cancer journey (not sure if I like the phrase 'cancer journey' but at least people know what you mean), but now I feel more fragile. I am turning into a wimp about needles (especially cannulas) and feel like begging the oncologist to lower my dose of both drugs for the next cycle. Hopefully the week off tablets will give me a chance to build up more strength again (and spare me the indignity of blubbing at my next appointment!).
And hopefully I will regain my good humour! This has to be one of the most down-beat posts I've written - sorry folks!
So, for light relief, here is a joke from cbeebies:
Q: What's big, grey and wobbly?
A: A Jelly-phant!
