Crash and Recovery

I have a feeling weekends won't be my best time for the next while.

I had my first chemo treatment last Tues, and on Fri afternoon the "crash" hit and hit hard. It started with the most horrible chills I can remember experiencing. Despite wearing my warmest clothes, two extra sweaters, two pairs of socks, and curling under two doubled-over quilts, I could not get warm. Mercy arrived in the form of Penny who brought with her two extremely warm hot water bottles which she tucked against my back and my stomach - and cuddly wee Bearloom, an "heirloom" bear fashioned from an old mink coat (next best thing to curling up with a dog!). By 10pm, I finally stopped shivering. Interestingly, there was never any sign of fever, just the chills. Pretty much slept until late last night. Out for pre-chemo blood work today (next treatment is tomorrow) and although I felt a tad shaky, was able to get through that, some other chores, and a brief visit with my mother before heading home for a short nap.

Previous chemo drugs have caused side effects that follow some sort of pattern. I expect the case will also be true with these two new drugs, but since I've only had one dose thus far it will be hard to say what that pattern might be until I've completed a couple of cycles. FYI, a cycle on these drugs = a three-week period. On day 1 and day 8 I have the drugs via IV. The following week, no drug is administered. After a total of 21 days has passed since the Day 1 count down, the three-week cycle begins again. So it's 21 days per cycle with drugs administered on day 1 and day 8. This process will be repeated indefinitely until a) tests such as CT scans indicate the drugs are no longer effective, or b) the side effects become intolerable. Guess there is also a c), but I don't think that's in the cards just yet thanks. There are, apparently, still options if this latest cocktail fails to do its work. Then I have the option of trying some of the "alternative" treatments - God help me if I'm so desperate to live that I agree to live only on the pureed asparagus diet! All kidding aside, truth of the matter is, I know that c) will show up at some point. At least most of my bags are already packed for that leg of the journey.

If last week's experience is the pattern that will form, I will likely feel well on Days 1-3 and possibly part of Day 4. Side effects will kick in for at least a couple of days. I have no idea if they will increase in intensity with the number of treatments given, or if they will be pretty much the same as last week. Also don't know if other features - like the much-warned-about vomiting and diarrhea - kick in over time. If the following week is the second week of the cycle, the pattern will likely repeat itself. I have no idea yet what the third week will bring but will after next week (the third week of Cycle 1).

Currently, Day 1 is on a Tuesday. That means weekends will likely see me engaged in serious pillow talk with my pillow. Fortunately fatigue is my biggest issue thus far. But I haven't had much of an appetite the last few days. Between that and walking in Japan, I'm down about 12-15 lbs from my pre-Christmas weight. Bonus: I'm not wheezing anymore!