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| This is the hair lost from having a shower and washing my hair. I was reluctant to wash my hair, I knew what was coming, but it needed it! |
My appointment time was for 9am. I arrived at 8.45. After last time I wanted to make sure I was taken in close to my appointment time as possible.
I was really pleased to get called in on time, when I bobbed my head round the day case unit door.
I picked a comfy reclining chair and waited for the nurse to come over. It didn't take long. They were set for a really busy day and only two main nurses working with one health care assistant.
The nurse came over and explained she waned to prep my had and arm for the needle and cannula. She asked me to put my hand under the hot water tap to raise my veins. This worked really well. The nurse was able to find a vein on my right hand and the needle went straight in. It felt really big and was a bit painful, but I didn't have any faint feelings and anxiousness. I just tapped my feet quite a lot, which made the nurses giggle. They comforted me and said I had done really well. The usual drill now. The drugs!
ABVD is named after the initials of the chemotherapy drugs used, which are:
- doxorubicin, which was originally called Adriamycin®,
- an injection of doxorubicin (a red fluid), given with an infusion of salt water (saline) into your cannula or line
- an injection of vinblastine (a colourless fluid), given in the same way
- bleomycin (a colourless fluid) and dacarbazine (colourless fluids), usually given as infusions but they can sometimes be given as slow injections into a fast-running, saline drip.
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| My drip |
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| The day case unit is relatively small that's one end of it... |
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| .. and that's the other end. The bed I was laid on last time. Kicking and making a fuss over the pain from the 3rd attempt of the needle! |
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| This is the one I call the bad boy. This is the doxorubicin, the one that causes hair loss. Grrr! |
This drug and the last one given dacarbazine can be quite painful going into the vein and burns and stings! The nurse had to come over and play about with the speed of the drip to make sure I could handle it. I had to be brave and get on with it in the end. The pain didn't last too long, it just stung quite a bit.
Once the drugs had all been given, it was a matter of waiting for it go through the system and then flush out my veins with water.
Just before 2pm I was told I could go! I was really pleased, time had seemed to go really fast and I went to get my meds from the pharmacy and go back to the unit for my next bloods and chemo appointment times.
I went home. I managed to get a drink of water and carry myself up stairs to bed. It was like as soon as I walked throught the door it hit me. A wave of sickness that just came over me and wouldn't go. I got onto the bed and it took me a while to get into a comfortable position. My head felt so so heavy and I just jigged my whole body to help the sickness pass. I fell asleep. I woke up an hour later - the feeling was still there. But not as strong as it was. Anthony arrived home just as I was waking up. It was so nice to see him.
I felt even better after a cuddle!
I managed to eat some tea and had my anti-sickness tablets and felt a lot better.
I had a short bath, just enough to feel nice, I was too tired to sit there for ages. I got all comfy and laid on the sofa, watched Top Gear with Anthony.
Bed time and I slept well, right through the night. I wore my sea-bands on my wrists through the night just in case.
This morning I have red - what I call - chemo cheeks. My face is all red. I feel cold and shivery and have blankets all over me on the sofa. I've had my medication, eaten some fruit for breakfast and I'm trying to drink as much fluids as I can.
My morning tablets and sachet drink and vitamin C.
I'm planning to do nothing today. I managed to do the washing up but that's pretty much wiped me out. I feel rubbish. Going to watch some tv and doze off I think...
Speak soon xx
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