Hi Tanya,
My Oncologist told me that the AC chemo wasn't cumulative but I felt that each time it was a bit harder on me. I had every intention of working through chemo but took the first month off to see how I would go. After the first round I discovered that I couldn't work through, it hit me too hard. It was only in the third week of the cycle that I felt anywhere near normal. I took the whole year off, I felt I had to concentrate on getting well. There is a lot of stress at the uni where I work with restructuring and redundancies and its still going on. Just before I was diagnosis, I actually had to apply for my own job again which I got. I don't want any added stress right now. My Supervisor has been absolutely marvellous and she and my admin team keep me informed of whats going on. I go in and have lunch with them all when I'm well enough.
I was only on AC for the first four rounds and that was bad enough but then I started on Docetaxel (Taxatere) and the AC seemed like a walk in the park. Ironically, my Onc was away just after I started on the D drug and I had one of her colleagues for the onc review and he said the D drug WAS cumulative. Perhaps there is differences of opinions in this. But I believe chemo is cumulative, especially the D drug. Instead of Docetaxel, my husband has dubbed it 'Doceshit'. When he told the chemo nurse this, she almost had a fit, she laughed that much :)
But there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and mine is getting bigger and bigger. My husband, daughter and son keep me laughing, they all have wicked senses of humour. My son says "oh we have broken Mum" and he's right. I am in hysterics often!
Sorry, I do get carried away when I post. I think I have verbal diarrhoea :)
