Post-Chemo
I’ve officially survived the first week post-chemo. Every single day was a unique adventure filled with many medications and dealing with new symptoms. The first few days were fairly easy, with no bad symptoms except just feeling a little off. Obviously, my body was just pumped full of poison, so I’m bound to feel a little weird after. It wasn’t until day 3 or 4 that I started seeing worse symptoms happening. The worst part of the week was the on and off chills and hot flashes, and the pain in my abdomen and back. Any nausea (which is the most common side effect) was mostly taken away by the strong anti-nausea medication I was prescribed.
About midweek, I was getting unusual pain in my ears, jaw, and lymph nodes. I made an appointment with my primary care physician, with the end result being another medication to add to my growing collection of pills to help get rid of an ear infection. Because I was just about to enter my Nadir* period, if any sort of signs of infection are present, like the doctor found in my ears, special precautions need to be taken. If I was healthy and not taking immunosuppressive* drugs, medication wouldn’t be necessary. But to be sure it doesn’t get worse, especially since the Nadir period was coming, Amoxicillin was added to my daily regiment to nip the ear infection right in the bud.
Life with Cancer
As for work, this week was a short work week (I had Monday off), and luckily I work at an amazing company that allows me to work from home. All of my job can be done on the computer or over the phone, and I have an understanding and supportive supervisor which makes me feel a lot less pressure about trying to work 40 hours a week and do chemo at the same time. I feel so grateful for that – especially since I know many cancer patients don’t have that luxury. My symptoms didn’t keep me from working; I only had to take Wednesday afternoon off because of stomach pain and Friday morning off for appointments. I count that as a win!
This next week is, as I was told by my doctor, typically the worst week. The Nadir period is usually when I will be the most sick, but it is also the time when the chemo kicks the most cancer ass. In order to kill the cancer cells, my immune system needs to be suppressed, but this also causes it to kill healthy cells. Usually, at the end of this week, people start losing their hair. I have come to terms with the idea of losing my hair, but that doesn’t mean that the waiting is easy. Waiting is without a doubt the most painful part of this process. I said it in my Pre-Chemo Thoughts post, and I’ll say it again. But now, after my diagnosis, the waiting is even scarier because I’m just sitting around waiting to either feel worse or better, and now waiting to see when/if my hair falls out. Next time around, after my next chemo treatment, I should have a better idea of the timeline of how I’m going to feel and when, which will take away a little bit of the anxiety of waiting.
Over the past week, I have had an outpouring of support from so many people. My mailbox, literal and online, has been filled with kind words, prayers, gifts, cards, and even a cookie bouquet! I have never felt more love before. Even people who I never talk to, or haven’t spoken to in years, have made an effort to let me know they are thinking of me. I cannot thank everyone enough for this; it has been the main reason I am staying positive and keeping my spirits up. I am a lucky, lucky lady.
Wish me luck as I brave the next week post-chemo!
Medical terms, explained:
*Nadir: Period of time (typically starts one week after chemotherapy, and ends a week later) where my white blood cell count is at an extreme low. This can open the door to any infection, bacteria, sickness, etc.
*Immunosuppressive: Drugs that weaken the immune system in order to fight the cancer cells, a.k.a. chemotherapy, making it easier to get sick.
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