In the ring with Chemo - round 1...

OK so its official, chemo does make you feel rubbish!

Monday I had bloods taken and I also had a heart scan and ECG. Heart scan was pretty cool (although they had just had new software installed so it took a while - I did wonder if that might be an opportunity for electra to offer training for the medical sector!)

Results were all fine so went in @ 12.30 on Wed for chemo, as planned. Two lovely nurses took me through it, Mary and Shirley (one of them has the surname Savage, made me feel right at home Claire) who patiently sat pumping 4 types of drug in via my hand, one at a time, till 3pm.  Pleased to say that didn't feel anything particularly odd but just very tired towards the end. We had a few giggles and I had a few tears, I think mostly down to the fact that this is the treatment that I was dreading most. I've attached a wee pic right to show how civilised it was - yes I am on the bed holding court as usual ;)

Felt very nauseous that first night with a sore head, took one of the four (yes, four) anti-sickness drugs they've given me, nicknamed Dom Perignon by the nurses as its easier to remember, so that name will do me just fine too plus give me something to look forward to when fizz is an option again! The bag I got home should have me rattling for weeks. The most extreme one is an anti-schizo drug, prescribed in quarters for nausea (but I may take a whole one when the voices start!!).... never a dull...

Day 2 - I felt fine (thought 'this is easy') and managed to go into town and have lunch with Michael (already the 'long suffering' having to put up with me and this is only chemo 1 of 6!) but days 3 and 4 have been like having the worst hangover I've ever had and without the good time preceding it which makes a hangover worthwhile :(

Day 3  - On waking up felt horrendous, thus became an official couch potato and felt quite grim until the day was brightened up by an avalanche of texts and emails and especially by a visit from Louise, home this week from Calgary who helped me cheer me up - thank you Louise :) Cravings also kicked in big time - salt and vinegar crisps anyone? The incessant nausea takes me back to being pregnant when eating little and often seemed to be the cure.

Day 4 (yesterday) - still felt horrendous. At the end of the afternoon I ventured out for the follow up appointment to buy a wig, another tick on the list so we'll see how that works out at the appropriate time. Daniel woke me up this morning and asked if I was wearing it already - I can only assume he was commenting on how glamorous I looked today (i.e. not!!) or how similar the wig looks to current hair (yes I've played it safe\sane and haven't gone for any Lady GaGa madness, although it may only be a matter of time \ or if I decide to up the schizo drugs and \ or decide to visit Geneva as they have a fabulous wig shop there as discovered by brother in law Stephen who sent me a fab clip via YouTube).

So here I am on Day 5, onwards and upwards is what I'm hoping, although I do think that each day the general state of feeling rubbish is improving marginally or that's what I'm telling myself...:) As quoted yesterday, 'may the force be with me'... That I felt like updating this blog makes me think I must be improving...

So to end on a note of interest\amusement, I've created an additional page today to give you a show of the wig samples - it was interesting trying on different styles. Yes one did make me look like my mother (aargghh and sorry Dzid) so as that short do is likely to happen at some point next year, no prizes for guessing which one I went for :)

An enormous and heart felt thank you to all of you supporting me and sending me your positive thoughts, they are needed and really are very much appreciated :) :) Every single message, email, post, comment and text really does help keep my spirits up,

Will update again in the next few days or so,

Skerry
xxx