I have now completed the first out of three rounds of chemo! I feel like I am in the thick of it though. This last week was a little harder on my body than the last time. The good news though, is that I have not gotten sick with any kind of virus. So in that respect, I am doing much better this time. My body just isn't as strong so I have been fighting more fatigue and stomach ache. The meds are still doing their job though at keeping the nausea away, thank God! Saturday I went to Dominican for day 5 of the Etoposide. It went SO MUCH better this time! They were organized and I had a good nurse. I also had two wonderful friends come with me (Susan and Lisa). We played cards (nerts) the whole time. Susan kept rubbing it in that she beat me - even though she knows she only beat me because I had chemo brain going on! :) It definitely helps the time to go faster when I have friends and family coming with me to my chemo appointments. Not only that, I enjoy spending the one on one time with them. So thank you everyone that has come with me so far.
Yesterday I had my long day of Cisplatin. I had a constant stomach ache for the 3 days before, and after I was given all of those fluids, I felt so much better. I must have been really dehydrated. I am planning on going in this Friday for hydration. It's really hard to drink enough to keep enough fluids in my body. Between chemo and radiation, I am being sucked dry.
Speaking of radiation, I have 2 weeks left from yesterday! The count down has begun. I will end on a Tuesday. I have already completed today (Wednesday) so that means I have only one more Wednesday to go! What ever will I do with myself when I don't have to go to radiation every single day of the week at 1:30?! My body is handling the radiation better than I thought it would. The skin on my chest is really irritated, dry, and itchy. It is looking tanned though, not burned. Some people get burned. My esophagus has been bothering my for the past couple of days. I think the chemo makes it worse because my body is fighting harder.
I have been really good about staying away from public places. I have been to Ben Lomond Market only once, and I took Elizabeth with me and had her touch everything. My white blood cells are up (as of yesterday), but this is the time when they will start coming back down again. I have been getting a lot of rest at home as well as putzing around the house finally getting some order back to it. Our basement room is now mitigated (with safe radon levels), Mike laid the tile on the cement floor, and Kyle moved in. I finally have my living room back and everything is neat and orderly again. I also had a skylight put in my bedroom which I love! There is so much more natural light now in my room and it doesn't feel so dark and enclosed.
I have posted a picture of what my chemo pole looks like on my Cisplatin day. The big bag is saline and the little ones are 2 anti-nausea meds and 1 steroid. After I finish those bags, I get my Cisplatin which is the size of the saline bag, followed by another saline bag about 3/4 that size. Fun stuff.
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