stage4's Cancer Blog

December 29, 2006

Chemo Begins - November 1st, 2005

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Chemo Begins
November 1st, 2005
The first day I walk into chemo expecting a room full of men and women in their 80’s and what do I see? 1 Man not too old maybe 50ish and 9 women between mid 20’s and mid 60’s.

I am surprised how many younger people get cancer. I am usually the youngest one in waiting rooms for chemo doctors and surgeons so this really surprised me.

I sit down next to the only man in the room and say “So, This is where the misery begins huh?” The man next to me said it’s not too bad I’ve been coming here for awhile. It made me feel a little better. The nurses in there are great very caring and explained everything as it went on.

When the 3 1/2 hours of getting an IV of a chemo drug called Avastin was over I felt great. As a matter of fact, I left chemo and walked for about 2 miles. I knew this was just the beginning and it would get worse and it did.

The chemo cycle I am on is:

1st day Avastin-(A new drug whichs attaches directly to cancer cells and kills them. It doesn’t make you sick like the rest of them), 2nd and 3rd day 3/12 hours of a drug called 5 FU and another called leucovorin (These have been used for quite awhile) These make you feel wore out. The process is called Folfox4.

They have a pump that you take home the 2nd and 3rd day and you are attached to it. When you go in the 3rd day after the treatment they hook you to another pump which runs for 22 hours then on the 4th day they mercifully disconnect the pump.

Then I am free for 10 days, which is where I am now. I go back for the next cycle on Nov. 7th.

I was hoping the day after they disconnected the pump I would feel better but it took about 3 days after before I got taste back and a little energy. They tell me since the chemo drugs have a cumulative effect It will gradually get worse. They can’t tell me if I will lose all my hair but they said expect some thinning.

I would like to thank everyone for the prayers and good thoughts. I never really knew how much I was loved and cared for by my family and friends until all of this started.

The biggest surprise was total strangers that honestly care how I am doing. People at my husbands work and the customers he visits and people like you. I haven’t joined a support group yet even though I know I need to. If anyone has any questions or wants to talk my email is donnarichno@yahoo.com