Chemo - Day 1

Chemo - Day 1

Today was actually a very fun but very long day.  It began with a haircut.  We had been told by our oncologist that I would start losing my hair shortly after chemo started, with all of it falling out right around my second treatment.  Therefore Adam planned a wonderful surprise and scheduled me a haircut. I was not sure about spending money on a cut that would only last for a couple weeks, but he had personally gone in and met the man who cuts my hair and made the appointment and was excited for me to have a cute haircut before it started to fall out (we have also been told that it actually hurts when it falls out, like someone is pulling your hair, and that having shorter hair makes this a little easier).  He told me about this surprise a couple weeks ago and I thought it was so nice of him to arrange it for me regardless of the cost and thought it would be a very fun way to celebrate the start of chemo.  The sad thing is I honestly do not like my haircut.  It's a great cut but I think it looks terrible on me.  I am not fishing for compliments, believe me - I just do not like it.  However, after the haircut Adam had a pedicure and manicure scheduled and it's hard to think about how much you do not like your hair when someone is giving you a foot massage and painting your nails a beautiful bright pink.  We then went to lunch at a wonderful little Japanese restaurant in Portland and everything was going great.  We checked in, they educated us for a couple hours about the terrible things that could happen with the drugs and then the pharmacist said with the chemo I am getting, hair loss is a given, but some people do not lose their hair for a few weeks.  Right after that, I made the mistake of going into the restroom and looking in the mirror at my hair.  With all the other stress that was going on my hair was the last straw.  I came out and I was so mad I had cut my hair I could not hold it in.  Our wonderful, caring nurse (Larry) was ready to start administering the first drug which he has to do by syringe, very slowly, and I chose that moment to turn to Adam and blame him that I have terrible hair.  Adam assured me that it was not bad and that he liked it, but I could not let it go.  You know how in your mind you know you should stop talking, but you just can't, well that was happening to me.  All the stress I was feeling about the horrible side effects that would possibly be starting in the next 30 minutes just came out over my hair.  It wasn't a big loud blow-up, just a few frustrated words like "if I do not go bald within the next two weeks, I am going to be so mad at you,"  and other nonsense which made Larry very uncomfortable.  I calmed down after a minute and Adam left for some fresh air and Larry quietly said, "I think your hair looks good."  That got me going again.  I actually pulled out my phone and showed him how my hair used to look.  It wasn't even that great of a picture, but suddenly my old long hair was perfect to me.  Then he's just sitting there with the drugs, probably wondering if he should start or what he should do and I told him I was fine and we could go ahead.

In all fairness to me, the stress was a little much at that point.  Basically they told me that when the first drug is administered  some people feel a burning sensation, or taste it and it makes them sick, and the second drug (which was a 30 min IV drip) could cause a sinus-like headache that would come on very suddenly and would be accompanied by severe nasal drip, a feeling of being very overheated along with heavy sweating, or severe pain in my back - all of which I should hit the "call" button for immediately so a nurse could come and stop the drug, flush out my system with saline until the symptoms went away and then try again.  Also, the pharmacist gave me seven syringes and informed me that I would be giving myself a shot every day for the next seven days to help my immune system, but that if my immune system is healthy, it would cause severe pain in my large bones and head, but I should just note it down if it happens, take some tylenol, and they will have me give myself fewer shots next time.  Halleluiah for diabetes, if I wasn't used to Andie having shots I would have been even more freaked out.

my shots for the next seven days

The good news is that none of the bad reactions happened.  I finished both treatments and felt fine.  I asked Larry if I should just go home and wait for something to happen and he said yes.  So here we are.  My kids were wonderful about my hair, it was fun telling them the whole story and two cute hats that I ordered came in the mail today.  I am wearing some wonderful "Life is Good" pajamas and eating mashed potatoes - life is good :)  I love having a husband who lets me get angry and does not take it personally and I think Larry and I could become very good friends.

The rest of my meds which will hopefully keep the side effects under control