I had my first chemo session on Tuesday 27th October. I got a lot of messages of support from my friends and family. I have so many people behind me it has given me strength as I face into my treatment.
We left the for the hospital where I was having my treatment and took a photo of me outside the front door of the hospital. She then put the photo up on the WatsApp group I had set up to keep people informed about what was happening to me.
When I went into the hospital they took my temperature and gave me a mask to wear. Then one of the nurses taking the temperature directed me to the lift and told me what floor to get off on and what signs to follow.
When I got to the oncology day ward reception I handed in my letter. I was then signed in and taken straight to the oncology ward and I sat where I was told to sit. As it was my first session they asked me some questions and the nurse who was going to be looking after me that day introduced herself to me. The first thing the nurse did was to put a cannula into my right hand. She suggest to me that I get a PICC Line inserted into my arm as my veins are very small and it could lead to problems down the line. She gave me a printout of information about the PICC Line for me to have a look at as well as some other information on aspects of my treatment plan and what to do if I have any side effects from the treatment. The manager of the ward took some details from me and updated what needed to be updated. She gave me the contact number of the ward so I could ring them with any questions I might have during my treatment and so I could contact them if I had any troublesome side effects from my treatment.
The first infusion I received was steroids to help prevent nausea, I also was given an anti-nausea tablet. I had to wait a while for my chemo to arrive from another hospital as that hospital’s chemo had been moved to the hospital I was in because of COVID. Eventually my chemo arrived and I was given it through a drip which took about half an hour. The second log of chemo I got took a little while to be administered as there was problems with the cannula in my right hand and they had to insert a new one in my left arm. That was when I decided to go for the PICC Line. The nurse sat with me as the new chemo drug had to done through two syringes. I chatted to her as she was injecting me and asked her a question about the PUCC Line which she answered. She said she would organise to have it inserted and I told her to go ahead. She said I should have an appointment to insert the PICC Line before my next chemo which was to be in two weeks time. Before I left they gave me an appointment card with my next appointment on it and also envelopes for my blood which I need to have done a day or two before my next appointment. I also left for a prescription for anti side effects drugs and a menu type plan of when to take each one if needed. I was told to take steroids for three days after treatment to prevent side effects.
When I left the hospital after spending the whole morning there my head was all over the place and I felt quite traumatised by it all and felt tried. When I got home I had a cup of tea and a biscuit and then went to bed for a while. When I got up I watched a video on my WhatsApp group that my cousins, parents and brother had made to the tune of The Proclaimers 500 miles. I was so touched by it and felt so lucky to have such support from my family.
