Chemo Cycle 1

Thursday 10^th September and I’m back in the Day Ward at 9am for my first cycle of treatment. As Cisplatin can cause kidney damage, the first part of the treatment involves taking a water tablet, and being given two bags of hydration fluid via a cannula placed in the vein in the back of my hand, each of which takes just over an hour to go through. All designed to make me wee, and I’m told to use the cardboard bed pans in the loo, write my name on and leave it there so they can monitor my throughput! All is well for the first 45 minutes and then the trek backwards and forwards begins… I seem to be in competition with a woman at the other side of the ward who is also being monitored and I think I’m winning!

Seems like a long time to sit, but there’s plenty going on in the Ward and another couple of ladies come to join me in my corner, one from beside Fraserburgh, the other from Ellon. Even manage to fit in a snooze around coffee time. Just before 12 it’s time for the steroid injection which is supposed to help with any nausea, and the Mitmycin C, also by injection, followed by the bag of Cisplatin, which I’m told will take about two hours to go through.

A couple of friends came to keep me company at different times during the day which was great – helps to pass the time and take my mind off what’s going into my hand. It’s probably good for others to see that it’s not all doom and gloom in the chemo ward too – it is pretty cheerful and “the inmates” do manage to have a bit of a laugh.

Not much fun for the lady from Ellon though, later on in the day, when her husband has a bit of a funny turn and ends up on the bed beside her chair. I missed most of the original drama, having made ANOTHER trip to the loo, but by the time I got back to my chair he was being very, very sick – not good when you’re sitting opposite and not feeling so clever yourself. I did feel sorry for the Ward staff who were short anyway, but still managed to deal with the additional crisis with good grace. Eventually, a porter was called and he was taken down to A&E to be checked over. Last I heard, he was being kept in overnight, so his poor wife was having to go stay with a friend after her treatment.

Another two bags of hydration fluid later and I thought I was almost ready to go home, but am told that there’s another one still to be done, plus an hour to wait afterwards, so I’ll be in for tea! The choices aren’t too inspiring – beef casserole, fish in leek sauce or various combinations of corned beef, but the fish in leek sauce when it comes is really tasty – followed by syrup sponge and custard, to fill me up just in case it wasn’t! Finally, after a marathon day (and 10 bed pans!!) I’m allowed to go home at 7.15pm – second in, last to leave – apart from a couple of nurses, who are there for the duration. The previous evening they hadn’t got away till 9.30, so even longer days for them.

As I write, it’s now 5 days after the infusion and I’m also on my Capecitabine tablets. So far, not so bad – I’ve not really had any nausea, and haven’t had to take anything for it, which is so much better than last time. However having just got back some enthusiasm for food, it’s gone again. At least I can eat this time without feeling sick, but I’m just not interested. I’ve also got quite bad heartburn, which they did say could happen, and I’m tired…. I can manage bursts of activity, but pretty soon I have to sit down and have a sleep. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it guilt-free, but I am getting better at recognising when it has to be done. Almost a week down, eight more to go!