It's an odd place to be!

Yes, that strange place where you've had your first chemo treatment just before Christmas and feel like once again your life is entering another phase. This time it's the endurance test where you have to face the assault course of what 8 (at least I hope will only be 8!) chemotherapy sessions will do to your body and self-esteem whilst attacking all those crappy cancer cells. 

Already I've had a double whammy in that last week's blood tests showed a very low red cell count so not only did I spend most of the 23rd at the hospital for the chemo, I then spent the best part of the 24th there again having a blood transfusion! I'd not mentioned to anyone just how exhausted I've felt recently as I assumed that it was because of all the stress and hassle of the last few weeks, along with recovering from the mastectomy. So it just goes to show that even the tiniest thing might be significant and should be mentioned. I hope that the 2 units of blood will go some way to making me feel like I have at least a modicum of energy as the next few days progress.

The administration of the chemotherapy itself wasn't a big deal; it didn't hurt and wasn't in anyway uncomfortable but I did immediately start to develop a metallic taste in my mouth and that appears to be here to stay, along with a very changed set of taste buds. Physically I am hugely grateful for all the  anti-emetics prescribed me because without them I know I would be feeling a lot worse than I am right now. At the moment I am dealing with feeling tired, a low-grade nauseous feeling which is bearable if I keep the anti-emetics topped up and a strange feeling that oddly my body doesn't quite belong to me at the moment which is very hard to quantify.

I am extraordinarily lucky that I have the most wonderful, caring husband who is looking after me so well. Not only did he cook a fabulous Christmas day feast for us he didn't mind in the slightest that I couldn't eat a huge amount of it or help with the washing up either - what a star!

I confess that I have been very lazy today and I am typing this on my laptop whilst in bed but the rest has been worth every indulgent moment. :-)

It's great to know that I don't need to go anywhere near a medical establishment again until Wednesday either! Weekly dressing changes for the Hickman are a bit of a drag but at least the line will save my veins and I can get the changes done by a nurse at my GP surgery just 15 minutes from home. Much better than trekking across town to the hospital, especially in the current weather!

For now I am simply hoping that the current side effects won't get any worse and holding my breath for the day when I have to start dealing with the dreaded hair loss. 

One day at a time, is the only way to do things for the moment!