Chemo and Port Surgery

Chemo

Chemo sucks!

I don’t care for those who say they ‘breezed through’ chemo. They couldn’t have had my cocktail.

Wednesday Nov 29^th,  Chemo 1.

As they administer the liquid benefit, they take you through a long list of possible side effects. It’s daunting but you know that it’s the only way to kill off this thing, so you know you have to just do it.

I had three steroid tablets and a large anti-nausea tablet and had to wait for an hour for them to take effect. They found a line in my forearm and hooked me up. Two different bags. It’s called ‘A/C’ and kills off the hormones that my cancer is feeding from.

It took about two and a half hours for the chemo to drip into my body and I was sent on my way with a collection of information and gifts from various groups.

Since then I’ve experienced a range of side effects including; dizziness, metal-taste, headache, a near fainting moment (followed by a drenching – maybe a huge hot flush?), tremors, and oh my, the constipation. No one could have prepared me for that.

There’s once again a curiosity and need to hear how others coped. I feel like I haven’t really done very well but how is that measured? Most seem to say day 1-5 are the worst so I’m expecting to feel a heck of a lot better tomorrow, just in time for surgery to have a port put in.

Every message and card, of love and encouragement fills me with joy. Thank you.

Monday Dec 4

I rang the Cancer Council yesterday and got some perspective. They have people ready to listen and I needed a good chat and cry with someone who could understand. I think it’s partly the speed of everything; less than three weeks ago I thought I was fit and well. I feel refocused and better.

Tuesday Dec 5 –surgery for the chemo port

I’d done the research and knew this was the right thing to do. My veins are hopeless at the best of times and chemo also shuts them down. It could get difficult for doctors and nurses to access my system and this also allows them to take blood if necessary. This little thing sits just under the right collarbone and feeds the drugs to near my heart.  

However, it was a general anesthetic, another thing.

I fasted from 6.30am but knowing I’d feel unwell, decided to take a ‘Maxalon’ before breakfast. I think this drug will be my new best friend. I couldn’t believe the difference and will start my day with it for a while.

The team at Modbury day surgery unit were so lovely. It’s a weird thing… sit here, come here, change into these, sit here, pee into this (just to absolutely make sure I’m not preggas! hahaha), wait here with these other nervous people about to go under for various things… walk into the operating theatre, see Dr Bev. And there she was. My surgeon. She is just the loveliest woman. Smile, warmth and hugs. She held my hand as I went to sleep.

Recovery. Done.

Another visit from Dr Bev while in recovery. All went well. More hugs and, ‘You’re doing really well’.

I’m not sure what they put in that anesthetic but I did not sleep one blink until 5.30am.