Chemotherapy - 5 down...1 to go

On Wednesday I had my fifth chemotherapy treatment. My second cycle of Docetaxel.

I was meant to have it on Tuesday but I forget to take my steroid tablets on the Monday so they had to push it back by a day. Docetaxel tends to lull you in to a false sense of security for the first three days where you don't feel too bad and then it hits you like a bus on the third day. So me 'accidentally' forgetting my tablets meant that I wasn't in quite as much pain on Christmas Day as I would have been if I had my chemotherapy on Tuesday as planned. Dad thinks I've done it on purpose. I'm not telling you either way! But let's just say I enjoyed my Christmas dinner *winky smiley face*. 

I thought I'd rock the Red wig for this cycle as its Christmas. (Ignore my big steroid moon face). My drugs were all mixed and ready for me when I got there but me and mum where still there for about three hours as Docetaxel takes a bit longer to administer compared to EC chemo and you have to do a before and after 'flush'. I also had my second Herceptin injection just before my chemo. I can now have Herceptin and Docetaxel on the same day as they know I'm not allergic to either of them.

The Herceptin injection didn't feel too bad this time. It just stings a bit and takes a few minutes to administer. 

The Docetaxel went ahead as normal and I had no issues. The lady next to me threw up halfway through. Poor lady. 

The chemo ward seemed very somber this time. But I guess chemo wards arn't going to be too lively even if it is Christmas. 

A lady came in to speak to one of the chemo nurses whilst I was having my treatment. I think she may have been a doctor. 

'God it's a bit dead in here isnt it?! She said. 

'Don't say DEAD in here!' Shouted one of the patients. 

This made me and mum laugh. Some people just don't think. I guess it did liven up the ward though. 

I had pharyngitis on my last cycle of chemo and I had to have a course of antibiotics so I'm really hoping I don't get any infections with this cycle. 

I'm on day three now so here comes the pain. 

Wish me luck and have a few champers for me!

Merry Christmas and here's to health and happiness in 2016 x

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breast cancer, cancer, chemotherapy, Docetaxel, Herceptin

Chemotherapy - 4 down...2 to go

4 down! Wow it feels good to write that. I'm over the halfway point now and I can just about see the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

On Monday I had my first Herceptin injection. I was really anxious about it but it wasn't too bad. I had it on the chemo ward but in a private room. A private room sounds glam doesn't it?! But I think they only put me in there because the injection goes in to my thigh so I had to take my tights off. I don't want to frighten the gents on the ward.

The injection felt a little bit like a local anesthetic. It stung a little and the stinging sensation came and went every few seconds until it was done. Then I had to wait on the ward for 6 hours in case I had an allergic reaction. 

While I was waiting they decided to give me another blood test before my chemo on Tuesday. My right arm is not in the best shape at the moment so getting blood from me is a struggle. They managed to get blood from the side of my thumb in the end. Nice.

As I was starting a new dose of chemo on Tuesday one of the nurses thought it was a good idea to weigh me to check they have the correct dose. 

'Have I put weight on?' I asked the nurse. 

'Yep.'

'Oh. I thought my clothes felt a bit tighter'.

'Don't worry most ladies put on about a stone during chemo'.

Great. Chemotherapy really is the gift that keeps on giving.

On Tuesday I had my fourth cycle of chemo. My first dose of Docetaxel. Docetaxel is administered via a drip so it's a bit less intimate than when I had EC chemo through jumbo syringes. 

As docetaxel is a much stronger chemo they have upped my steroid dose to eight a day before chemo and then down to two a day after chemo. I'm also having to have GCSF injections. 

GCSF injections make my bone marrow produce more white blood cells as the Docetaxel makes my white blood cells dangerously low. I have these daily from day three to day ten. I can have them at home so I was going to get a district nurse to do them for me. But for convenience Doctor Micheles going to give them a go! 

Unfortunately a side effect of the GCSF injections is bone pain. This is also a side effect of Docetaxel. So that means double the bone pain. 

Bone pain hurts...it hurts a lot.

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breast cancer, cancer, chemotherapy