3 down, 3 more to go

Said like this it sounds like I am half way, but considering the time it takes me to recover from each session, I feel I still have a long way to go.

This session was the last of the FEC regimen. Next I will have 3 sessions of T (Taxotere).

Thursday’s session was in many ways different from the previous ones. To start with I had to be at The Harley Street Clinic at 7am to have the port implanted in my chest. It is a simple procedure, but added to the stress of having a chemo session on that same day, it made me very stressed and anxious.

I had the choice of having general or local anaesthesia. The idea of being able to hear and see part of what is going on in the operating room, made me go for the local anaesthesia. Also because the recovery is much faster. I think I fell asleep for a while during the procedure, but I still remember quite a lot. The most exciting moment was when the fire alarm rang, no one even moved and just continued with their work. I asked what the normal procedure in these cases was. Before evacuating, they first wait to be informed where the fire is located and to be instructed to leave the operating room and when possible they do so, carrying the patient with them obviously. Luckily it was just someone’s toast that got a bit burnt in the kitchen. As the lifts were not working for a while, one of the nurses kept me company until he could take me back to my room, on the 4th floor. Once again, I only have good things to say about all medical staff I have encountered so far: excellent dedicated people.

Back in the room I found two sleepy heads, S. and my mother, poor creatures, going through all this with me. The room was great, spacious and new. I had the chemo in the room and not at the day unit as before. It was more quiet and I had more privacy which after even a small procedure is very pleasant.

About one hour after the surgery I got dressed with my own clothes, covered my naked head and waited for the chemo nurse. Having a port is actually very practical, there was no need to look for a cooperative vein, and the drugs can be administered a lot faster. Half way the treatment I was already starting to feel a bit funny. But it all went well.

The port is hardly visible, just a discrete bump on my chest. I have two small scars, one on the chest (though which the port was put in, under the skin) and one on the neck (through which the catheter was inserted in the vein). I hope they will disappear with time, I feel I am collecting scars!

Around 3.30pm I was discharged and went home feeling reasonably ok. At the end of the afternoon I felt horribly nauseous and didn’t manage to eat anything of the delicious meal S. had prepared. Before 9pm I was already in bed.

Friday was a good day, I woke up early and feeling pretty good.

J.’s visits are always pleasant but this last one made my taste buds happy. She brought bouchons form the Cup Cake Company. Very nice! Even with a funny tummy I enjoyed it. Afterwards, to get some sun and make my legs move a bit, we went for a long walk. Friday was a good day.

Today I feel as bad as I normally do after each chemo: headache, nausea, throbbing ear vein, no appetite, some pain and discomfort and excessively tired.

This time I got a lot more anti-sickness pills than the previous times and I just hope they work, because I really hate feeling like this.