And so it begins........
The word Chemotherpy, I think carries as much stigma as cancer does. There is no getting away from this, no matter how you are introduced to this next redical step, it is going to be life changing. It can be swallowed, injected, rubbed in,or in my case fed directly into the body by way of a Central Line or PICC. Luckily there have been massive improvements in this since my father died from cancer some 25 years ago, even thought Chemo has beed around longer, in those day if you had to go into a hospital for treatment you were in bed for the full course; I was in just one night and that was because it was my first section, the rest of my courses will be done via an Out Patient Clinic.
The whole experiance was quite daunting at first, I think just the unknown of what, and how it is going to work is numbing enough. I was informed I would be walking around with a small pump attacted to me pumping the Chemo around my body constantly,( of coures images start flashing in your head of all shapes and form's) infact this so call pump works off gravity and is and look's like a babies bottle which sits in a pocket with a thin pipe coming from the top which can be fed down under your clothing so to all perposes invisable to the naked eye.
The Chemo course came to me in 3 pre - set bags for set amounts of time, and what happened was a specilist qualified Sister/Nurse came in and drew some blood from the PICC, flushed the line through and then screwed in the first bag and that was it and that carried on for the full section. I'm not saying or in any way qualifed to say this happens to everyone, but looking around the Ward I was in everyone looked much the same.
Every Chemo is unique to that person and so are their side effects, this is probably the worse part of the illness. Side effects will be suffered that is enevitable hopefully to all of us they will be minor, and not the hole set but only your body will be able to combat that, but they do have umtine courses of tablets, injections, creams, and liquids to help with these. As well as follow up medication to reconstruct the body once that section is complete. (As has propably been explained to the person being cared for.) Re-building up your red and white bloodcell's, and platlets which are effected whilst the Chemo is going through your body. The red cell's that transfer's oxygen around the body, the white for the immune system, and the platles which help with blood cloting and control of bleeding. These in my case will be administered by way of a set of injections when the 5 day(120hrs) section is complete, but think ahead who may be doing the injections, a District Nurse may be the best oppion, but a family member may also be able to in my case my daughter, my wife said it may be to upsetting for her.
I feel that this bit need's to go in, because it is very important to be on the look out for. I was passed a card as a guild line if problems occure. I'm not saying at the second one of these happen panic because it could just be you body getting use to what is happening to it, But if they continue better be safe And this may just be for my type of Cancer of the throat.
You MUST contact your hospital team URGENTLY if you feel unwell or possibly develop the above.
Other things which may be worth a thought are just practial help idears, invest in a good termometer they are not to expensive now, and if the treatment is going on for some time, will be able to keep you on track. and may flag up any problems early. Stay clear of confined spaces ie lift's or vastly popolated room's, because the Chemo will have greatly reduced your body's natrual immunities, and if someone has got a cold or is ill you will be a prime target. That also goes for family and friends if they are not up to par again you may leave your self open to illness, but I think they will understand. Keep clean and as health as you fill fit to do, I know it will and is a pain wrapping in some form of waterproofing just to take a wash but it make you feel you have withheld some normality in your life, try to lead as normal a life as you did before you became ill ( because it will be quite easy to slip down hill if things don't go to well or you have a bad bout of Chemo). Try to keep your appitite up as well but this may prove harder than you think. Above all do not dwell on what is happening to you this will probaly one of the hardest thing to do, and if your side effects become more visable don't lock yourself away, and think that everyone get's ill sometime.
