Chemo sucks

Oh you have had such a huge shock with the quick turnaround times as well - it’s so hard to get your head round isnt it and for the people around you as well. Mine was found by routine mammogram which was lucky as they said I probably wouldn’t have felt the lump for another 6 months due to where it was. I was in complete shock when they called me back though and did biopsy. I stupidly thought they called me back as they did the first mammogram wrong! I’m exactly like you I’m so much more than this cancer which is partly why I wanted the cold cap to try to keep my hair to shout out I’m still me! But we are still us hair or no hair, boobs or no boobs - this is  just a bump in the road,  a big one,  but perhaps telling us stop, slow down for a minute  to look after us for a change. Personally I’d rather be full steam ahead again but I am listening to my body now and eating better and take care of of my skin etc and that feels good. I’ve written a few diary notes but there is also part of me that wants to forget all of this however I have to say those days you feel well are just fantastic and worth writing about. I hope you won’t need to have chemo as part of your treatment but if you do there will still be good days and days to be cancer free days. Good luck with your treatment and the results xx

If my experience is anything to go by It will get easier. It sounds strange but after about a week you start to notice you feel stronger again and then you suddenly realise you feel well. Hold on in there xx

Thank you for your comments, I do think without a forum such as this it could be so easy to become isolated. Share the experience, share the knowledge, share the love, ease your mind, ease your pain and ease your worry, you don’t have to go through this alone.  I have been in touch with friends/colleagues from over 30 years ago, it was good to catch up and I know they are rooting for me. My daughter unbeknown to me got in touch with another old friend again from 34 years ago now living in NZ who has been in touch! Do not be afraid, own it but whatever you do, don’t let it define you, you are so much more than this!  I am a partner, a mother, a sister, a Nana, Aunty, great Aunty, a brilliant and loyal friend, a dog owner, a Carnival Crew member, a good neighbour, a mother-in-law etc.etc. And I am 62 years of age but about 50ish in my head! Here for you all on this journey of ours and if our paths should cross ...... I look forward to meeting you. Take care Dxxx

Hey Jules

Girl - it does suck.  Big time.  I'm on EC cycle 4 this week and it gets worse.. well, it got worse for me.  Hair gone in 3 weeks in and used the cold cap.  Yes, it is freezing cold.  Yes, it hurts. 

Paracetamol did nothing me for, but may work for others - I need a morphine drip to get me through this miserable and boring process.

Take a coin and flip it - heads or tails.  It's a 50/50 deal and that is as good as it gets to save your lovely hair.  

The best tip I could give you is stock up your fridge with yoghurt or ice-cream AND full fat milkshakes - my appetite is destroyed for 10 days after the EC and that is all I survive on until I'm functioning again.  You might be lucky with eating and I really hope so :) 

Get your oncologist to prescribe mouthwash - I did and it does help.

Good luck sweet lady - you will need it.

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So  I got through the EC without any major problems. No hospital admissions and no major side effects.  Zero sickness yes fatigue but I just listened to my body and took to bed for a few days.  I found it was the bone marrow jab you have to give yourself the day after that  wiped me out about a week after. It's a sign it's working but the aches and pains it brings makes you feel awful. I have now discussed this with oncologist  and they are looking at an alternative. Constipation  was a bore  but at least you know it doesn't last for more than a few days. A change of diet helped, dates veggies etc.

I take a daily lanzoprazole for acid reflux which works really well for zero heartburn and have flucanazole at hand for oral thrush.

As we have to drink loads of water  I buy the get more vits range of flavoured water. I gave up with the  supermarket  and have it delivered directly off their website  if you  contact them they will set you up with a discount code  for repeat orders!

Now im on the 12 week taxol/ carboplatin regime. My platelet count went low so I had to delay one week, but it came back up with avengane so onwards and upwards.

I credit my strange toothpaste,  Euthymol  for no mouth ulcers to date, well see what this regime does though....

Genealogy testing  came back negative for the dodgy genes and the tumor shrunk from 32 mm to 15mm after the EC  which for TNBC is great news.  

 I can't think my chemo team at Genesis Care in Windsor enough for looking after me and keeping me healthy and sane. 

I know in lucky to have BUPA at work, goodness knows I've worked damn hard for it but if you do have it I can't recommend these guys highly enough.

I hope the above may help someone else's battle xx