Chemo Schemo

Wednesday 4th June

The past week has been pretty bizarre. I have to say that I think I have been pretty lucky, or maybe the thought of chemo is much worse than the reality.  I am reluctant to speak too soon, but I've said it now so fingers crossed.

The day after Chemo I woke up with a bright red swollen face, nice. The swelling went down quickly but the redness came and went for a few days. I have pretty much felt like I've been on a massive bender so have had a horrible and very long hangover. The first couple of days were not too bad, I remember saying that I felt as though I had taken loads of drugs, but I suppose I had. I've found that the smallest tasks like washing the dishes or having a shower have exhausted me. I presume this is what they call fatigue, never experienced that before. I have slept lots, a ridiculous amount really but I suppose that is much better than not sleeping. There have been times when I have stared at the glass of water on the table for sometimes an hour or more wishing I had the energy to reach for it. Totally wiped out. 

I count myself very lucky that I have not had any nausea this time around, I was dreading that the most. My appetite has been good and I have found that I feel a bit better when I eat. I've also been drinking loads of water which I presume must be helping to prevent some of the horrible side effects.

On Monday I made myself go out for a little drive with my sister. Had a pootle around a couple of shops, but my heart was not really in it, I felt rough. Came home for a snooze but I couldn't sleep. Next minute I felt really cold and shaky. I knew that I needed to take my temperature (have to do this regularly) but my thermometer was all the way upstairs. I lay there for about an hour or so thinking about the thermometer upstairs. Finally got up there and took my temperature which was at 38.2!! Shit!! I have to report in to Clatterbridge if my temp reaches 37.5. Clatterbridge told me to get to A & E immediately. Luckily Emma was due to visit so she could take me. Thanks Em!!

Despite flashing my Chemotherapy Alert Card at reception I still had to wait like everyone else, bummer. Once through though everyone moved very quickly. I was put on a ward and had my temperature checked every hour at first. It was up and down like a yo-yo.  No obvious sign of infection but my blood cultures suggested there was an infection somewhere. At 1am just as I was knodding off I was taken for a chest xray, the results of which were clear. (Which is great as no tumours were found on my lungs either, so that's another organ clear! Ovaries-check, Cervix-check, Liver-check, Lungs-check).Thanks Carl for pointing out that Lungs is spelt L.U.N.G.S and not L.U.N.G.E.S!! There certainly hasn't been ANY lunges this week!

The following morning by which time I'd developed a weird rash, the doctor said that I would stay in another night to be monitored, gutted. About an hour later a Doctor arrived from Clatterbridge with a MacMillan Nurse (how very organised!). He said I could go home but he would have to argue this out with the doctor who had seen me earlier. They agreed to send me home with some antibiotics, yeay! That was yesterday and I have felt much much better since. I pretty much feel normal again, tired yes but not ill as such. I think I'm over the worst, fingers crossed.