1. I will not need a port. I will do a regular IV since this is considered a short treatment (4 rounds)
2. They inject you anti-nausea medicine before the actual chemo drugs are inserted.
3. Anti-nausea can cause you to be agitated, so they give you ativan, a Valium type drug, to calm you down after treatments. And I was moody before - jeez. Highs and lows, buckle up folks, this will be some ride!
4. Hair loss is coming. I am preparing for this and will be surprised if I keep any of it. You cannot color your hair during chemo...Is there NO justice in the world? So I will be going in for one last color treatment and a shorty haircut this weekend. I guess after it falls out, I'll have no hair left to color anyway. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it comes back with no gray this time :)
Life is moving along and I am healing slowly but surely. I am excited to be driving and off all medications. Sometimes when I am lying down perfectly still, I actually feel normal. It's brief but it brings me a sliver of hope that I will return to my "normal" normal which is still somewhat askew!! I'll post a picture of the new 'do! I am looking forward to a fun weekend with my brother, Bob, who is in visiting this weekend!! Enjoy this beautiful fall weather!
Enjoy Bob and give him a hug!!! It's what's in that heart of yours that counts--You'll still be beautiful Julie and you are so loved and appreciated by us!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Julie!
ReplyDeleteYou don't know me, but I'm a friend of Kerry Griffin's...and Kerry shared your story and your site with me.
I JUST finished going through what you're heading into...I'm 3 months cancer-free. And I would LOVE to just give you a quick glimpse of what to expect...and to assure you that the time will fly...and it's truly not as bad as everything you might imagine (just as I did as I headed into it).
As for the nausea...I didn't have ONE iota of it! The anti-nausea meds are the bomb! Just stick with the meds schedule they give you to take at home for the day or two before and after chemo.
I was a teeeeeeeny bit tired, but not at all "down for the count". I lived my life as I had before cancer hit.
My "worst" side effect (and it wasn't even bad at all considering the options) was that my taste buds were screwed up for a week or two following chemo. But that was truly all. (Ice cream was my friend!)
I did lose my hair (which I had a LOT of)...but at the first moment I realized it was starting to go, I let my sons shave my head (so that WE had some control). We cranked the music, let 'em have at it with the clippers and it was actually a memory I'll treasure forever.
And showers are SO quick when you don't have to wash your hair and shave!
In terms of wigs...I bought an expensive one (that I never wore)...but got the most use out of my $29 specials from the wig store in the strip mall by my house. No one ever knew I was wearing a wig.
My hair is now starting to grow back...super short...and completely gray...but I'm just happy to have hair that it doesn't matter. (Well, it matters a little bit...as soon as it's longer, I'll go have it colored and go back to my "natural" dark brown)...but truly, I have such a different view in terms of what's "hot" now! :)
I too had a journal (that you're welcome to visit if you ever choose to: caringbridge.org/visit/laurazkane) and it was my therapy! It was a great way to keep friends and family posted on my progress...and it became my outlet.
In looking back, though I wouldn't put it on my top 10 list of things I'd like to do again, I have to say, honestly, the whole process was more of an annoyance than any of the dreadful things I thought it might be.
You have such an amazing outlook...which is so important. My mom taught be that when she went through the same thing 13 years ago...and she's still around to talk about it.
I wish you all the best and am here for you if you ever have ANY questions or just want to talk to someone who's been there/done that!
Stay strong...and go kick some cancer ass, sister!! :)
Laura
Laura Kane
Cincinnati, Ohio