So after yesterday’s torture by cold cap and also being sick whilst in the actual chemo chair, I awoke today with trepidation. But felt good, alert and not nauseous at all. Decided to go into work as I know that for me personally I’ll feel a lot better if I try to keep as much of my pre-cancer life in place as possible.
I know we’ll all be different, so I don’t think we should really compare and contrast how any of us cope at any particular point in the chemo cycle but I did feel really perky - energetic even - today. Must be the steroids. I can now see why they’re banned at the Olympics!!! Think a lot of it was also relief, as I was honestly expecting to feel as if I’d been hit by a truck and obviously, after yesterday’s performance, to be extremely nauseous. The only time I even came close to feeling even slightly queasy was when I applied some aloe vera anti-bacterial hand gel on the way to work. I bought the aloe vera as I thought it’d be kinder to my skin but the smell was far too overpowering.
So I did a normal, full day’s work and apart from the apothecary of tablets on my desk, the red wee (tmi) and the mad, curly hair untouched by human hands since the cold cap, I wouldn’t have known that I’d had chemo yesterday. Oh, there is a slight discolouration on my hand where the cannula was. People even said I was looking really well. Thank you chemo glow - done more for my fair complexion than a thousand illuminating primers!!!
Food (for those who are interested): Jacob’s cream crackers (no butter) wanted to start off gently and this was the blandest food I could think of. Then as a reward I had some of my ultra calorific ginger cookies. Still no ill effects. I was absolutely ravenous by lunchtime as I had so little to eat yesterday and not much the day before, so I horsed down a cheese and red onion toasted sandwich. Thought it was the safest option given my local sandwich shop has lots of ‘deli food’ - which is off limits. It tasted like the finest meal I’d had in months. Hahaaa!! Just had some more cream crackers earlier this evening as I don’t feel that hungry. Not the most varied or healthiest day’s menu but it did the job - no nausea, no nasty taste in my mouth yet.
Don’t want to sound too cocky, as I’m fully expecting the slump when I stop the steroids. This is the point where your bloods drop apparently. For me the absolute worst part will be the seven days of injections I have to give myself. Really not sure whether I’ll manage it - squeamish doesn’t really cover it. I start to feel slightly faint just reading about gory medical procedures. May have to swing by my local medical centre every day!! What a big baby.
So to summarise ladies, so far this is totally doable. I’ve had quite a big operation in the past and I felt waaay worse in the aftermath. So for all of you with chemo just round the corner, please try not to worry too much. I’m sure worse is to come for me but today has been absolutely fine.
Hope at least some of this rambling brain dump has been vaguely useful to a few of you…
Cherry Bakewell ? xxx
