Chemotherapy

wrathex said:
The smell of medical alcohol, clear tubing, drips, the incredible sharp and deep pain when the port needle is inserted, the bleeping of the drip rate monitors, two very efficient nurses and two sisters, a young male chemist who mixes the chemo solutions freshly after the patient arrives for chemo treatment, two oncologists, 4 radiologists, a psychologist, lounges, large comfortable chairs and soothing softly played airport music.

Afternoons of reading my kindle and listening to music on my ipod, and most often sleeping to hearts content to the envy of the other patients.

Ten weeks ago I had surgery, then 5 weeks of daily radiation, then 4 weeks of daily chemo - finished today :D :) :) :)

From Monday I start with self-injection chemo, (via medical pen as used by diabetics) 3 times a week for the next year, with frequent bloodwork and monthly check-ups.

Both my arms are bruised from having the ports into my veins for such extended times, this morning we had to relocate my port, I formed a clot, on a previous occasion my arm swelled to twice the size, when the port leaked and spilled the saline solution into my arm itself instead of the vein lol - it was frightening at the time.

Now the port is out and my wrists can heal. My treatment has gone well.

My chemo treatment has entailed stimulating my auto-immune system, eg: purposely waking up (genetically engineered and task specific IntronA chemo) anti-cancer soldiers and forcing them to be alert and hunt invaders - in my case melanome cancer stage 3 invaders - resident in my lymph system - sneaky buggers, resilient, capable of hiding and goes into lurk mode and then spawns somewhere else predictably in around 12 - 14 months from now.

So I look very forward to this summer :p

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So happy for you!

Rock on, wrathex! <3
 
Hi wrathex!

I'm incredibly glad to hear that things went well for you. Stay as strong as you are and I have no doubth you'll keep this beast at bay. I'm looking forward to reading many more of your posts over the next few years! :)
 
wow, reading this made me feel exhausted & in pain... I cant even begin to imagine what you have had to go through!

you are one strong lady!
 
Good morning the354, thanks for asking.

I no longer go for daily chemo and, I inject myself three times a week.

The first time I had to do it was quite an experience.

So I go into my room and lock the door, read the instructions for how to use the medical pen, how to put on a new needle every time, clean it, set the dose right and so on. I am nervous, and not sure whether I will have the guts to slide that needle into myself. After priming the medical pen I take a bit of fat roll of my stomach hold it and with the other hand I have the injection ready.

Well, I sat like that for nearly 40 minutes, eventually I started shaking so much ( of fear), I took the plunge then, counted to 3 and then injected myself lol

Brave is not what I was, hahaha :)
.. I have to inject tonight (Monday/Wednesday/Fridays), it is not the norm for me yet ;)



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Full list of effects of Intron A chemo medication I experienced - for public reference

Unusual bruising (feeling of being bruised inside the body - not on the skin)
Feeling of extreme bruisedness, cannot sit on hard objects, uncomfortable sleeping
Skin becomes extra sensitive, do not want to be touched - it hurts
Extreme fatigue (need to rest after 20/30 minutes of doing anything)
Fever, hot & cold chills, shaking & chattering teeth
Stiffening of neck, and at base of skull, feeling of pressure in back of head. - this also causes anxiety
Skin is dry
Blocky nose
Shortness of breath (at times)
Feeling of having low blood pressure
Feeling light headed, need to sit down and rest every few steps (at times)
Cough, flegm on chest
Dry mouth, tongue sore and sensitive, mouth sores
Skin rash - itchy now and then - not often
Dizziness, vertigo, feeling high, off-balance
Very light sensitive eyes, eyes slightly out of focus, blurred vision increases feeling of highness
Severe Abdominal pain & cramps, leaving me trembling with exhaustion
Severe constipation - for four weeks during daily chemo - normal stool resumed on week 5
Sweating, I wake up with a cold dry layer of sweat and matted hair - most nights
Malaise flu-like symptoms - Stiffening of limbs, arms & legs, jaw, dificulty walking - flu like
Taste changes (metallic & salty / glue taste), cannot smell properly either

Quality of life has decreased
I am always tired.
I need to rest often.
Anxiety - injections/drip site malfunctions causes anxiety - general anxiety about self injection and frequent blood work, feeling of having been catapulted into a medical nightmare
Loss of interest in current affairs, depressed - cannot taste or smell properly, taste of glue permanently in mouth
Severe irritability
Unable to focus/concentrate
Depressed about being sick and needing all this treatment
Problems doing things due to post surgery permanent damage to left arm, paralysis and abnormal sensation on upper left arm
Wearing bra's, I only wear a bra when I go in public- it hurts under my left under arm
 
Eish my grandmother has to go through Chemo at age 80....
Wrathex,your experience and information has proven very valuable as to the decision of doing chemo as its terminal in her case.
It really sounds terrible.
Glad you broke the camels back of the chemo.
Regards.
 
Speaking of chemo, my brother has 2 treatments left I think. He has a valve thing implanted in his chest for them to pump the chemo liquid stuff in. The problem with this valve thing is that it moves around in his chest. This has blocked his arteries and his arms/hands are swollen to twice the size. I saw his saturday and it does not look good to see a family member look like that.
 
wrathex said:
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:twisted: Oh and to the onlooking extraterrestrials, sies on you, for letting me suffer like this, you could cure me, but you hunker behind your First Contact Laws, watching humanity wriggle about in confusion, when I ascend, there's going to be hell to pay, when I signed up to be a walk-in advocate for humanity, I had no idea that you would literally make me suffer in so many little ways, just wait till I come back, in the next spiral galaxy - you're doing the 'walk-in' buddy !
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They're pretty smart to have sent you to teach us bravery and strength :) Only stumbled upon the thread today, yet I am sure myself and the rest of the universe have been routing for you from the get-go, whether consciously or subconsciously. Stay strong wrathex :)
 
Keep fighting, lady! You're over the worst of it and the rest will eventually return to normal(ish). I don't know if you've researched other forums but there's a great community over at stupidcancer.org. Perhaps they can help with management of the side-effects?

*bows* Keep rocking and all the best to your family!
 
My chemo treatment continues, it this stage my hair is thinning and falling out by about a handful per day. I've been quite ill with low blood and platelet count. I just lie on my bed the majority of the time. Every few steps I walk, I have to rest, as I am panting - not enough O2 reaching my systems.

I now weigh 55 kg's, down from ~60. I have lost most of my muscle and fat, I can't sit on normal surfaces anymore, as my rear has no cushioning, and sitting on your bones is eina.

My extreme photo sensitivity also makes it unpleasant to be outside on a lovely day. My vision is still out of focus, and I am now wearing reading glasses almost permanently.

My shoulder still hurts a lot where the nodes were removed, it can take up to two years to heal.
Sometimes the injections I give myself burns, but that is the least of my hurts.

I think if it was not for cannabis, I would have lost much more weight by now, the cannabis helps me eat and calms me down, when I become very depressed.

There are times when I just want to give up, stop the chemo and 'die' naturally lol, it's tough.

I'm hoping to be more positive this year, to focus more on what I have got in my life instead of lamenting how crap things are - especially politics wise - not just locally but globally. (I worry about humanity - I can't help it, my long term view and my empathic nature)

I won't be doing anything stupid, but death has become a re-occurring and daily thought, how I fantasize !
I often think about death, but this is not the same as being suicidal, this is more fantasizing about how wonderful it would be to die.

When my big sleep comes one day, I will happily embrace it, until then, it's fight fight fight !
 
It certainly sounds like you're having a rough time, wrathex. So sorry to hear that things aren't going well.

Have you tried those blow-up pillows with the hole in the middle? They should help quite a bit with the seating issue as they change the way your weight is distributed when you sit.

Have you watched The big C? You might relate with the main character although they tend to keep her looking pretty healthy throughout the show. I watched a movie called 50/50 last night. Pretty cool movie based on one of Seth Rogan's real friends.

The thoughts about death are pretty natural and completely understandable. It makes a lot of people quite uneasy when you mention your ideas but there really isn't anything wrong with it. It's how you cope. We sometimes forget that the only guarantee in life is that we'll die one day. We must just make the most of life until that day comes.

Stay strong and keep your chin up! Lots of love and respect to you!
 
wrathex said:
My chemo treatment continues, it this stage my hair is thinning and falling out by about a handful per day. I've been quite ill with low blood and platelet count. I just lie on my bed the majority of the time. Every few steps I walk, I have to rest, as I am panting - not enough O2 reaching my systems.

I now weigh 55 kg's, down from ~60. I have lost most of my muscle and fat, I can't sit on normal surfaces anymore, as my rear has no cushioning, and sitting on your bones is eina.

My extreme photo sensitivity also makes it unpleasant to be outside on a lovely day. My vision is still out of focus, and I am now wearing reading glasses almost permanently.

My shoulder still hurts a lot where the nodes were removed, it can take up to two years to heal.
Sometimes the injections I give myself burns, but that is the least of my hurts.

I think if it was not for cannabis, I would have lost much more weight by now, the cannabis helps me eat and calms me down, when I become very depressed.

There are times when I just want to give up, stop the chemo and 'die' naturally lol, it's tough.

I'm hoping to be more positive this year, to focus more on what I have got in my life instead of lamenting how crap things are - especially politics wise - not just locally but globally. (I worry about humanity - I can't help it, my long term view and my empathic nature)

I won't be doing anything stupid, but death has become a re-occurring and daily thought, how I fantasize !
I often think about death, but this is not the same as being suicidal, this is more fantasizing about how wonderful it would be to die.

When my big sleep comes one day, I will happily embrace it, until then, it's fight fight fight !
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I'm glad you're still fighting. I can't imagine going through this.

You'll come out on top yet :D

Any idea how much longer you need to do the injections?
 
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