Chemo day one - done!

I had my first chemo today and it was easy. I might feel awful later, but right now I feel fine and very relieved.  For those starting this process soon I have included some details about what happened.

Two days ago I went in for ‘chemo education’ which was a meeting with the nurse who gave me quite reassuring information. I also had a heart test as the chemo regime I am on can damage the heart, so they monitor it.

Today I went in, waited for a while then saw the doctor for 15 minutes to check I was well and ready to go and to answer any further questions. I asked about travel plans in week 3 of the first 2 cycles and he said go for it – you need to keep on living your life!

Then back to the waiting room for a bit until I was called though to the treatment room. I sat in a big recliner with my partner in a visitor chair next to me and there were about 6 other recliner chairs in the room with people getting treatments.

The nurse explained the procedure, took my blood pressure and put my hand in a warm bath to get the veins big and juicy, then inserted an IV line. I was able to move around and go to the toilet pushing the stand with the drip bottle with me.

Then they started putting different solutions through the I/V line. First was anti-nausea drugs, then the 3 different chemo drugs that make up FEC, then they flushed though some saline and I was free to go, with some anti-nausea meds to take home with me. All up I was in the recliner chair for 3 hours, with drugs going into my hand for about an hour and three quarters.

With one drug, a bright red liquid, they gave me an icy pole to suck on, saying there was anecdotal evidence that this helped prevent mouth ulcers. I was told that this red drug comes out red in your urine and to my great surprise I found out that was true even before I left the clinic. I had no idea things went through your system so fast.

I didn’t feel anything throughout, except the sting when the needle went in and some coldness with some of the liquids. I felt a tiny bit hazy when I left – not dizzy exactly, but just like I was a little bit less sharp in body and mind than normal. And that was it!

I came home hungry and ate the lunch I had packed to take in but didn’t end up eating in there.

Hope you don’t mind the long post, but thought it might help others to know what to expect. Of course depending on your chemo drugs, you might have slightly different approach. Overall it was nothing like as daunting as I feared. Just hope the side effects are easy too. At least I am well prepared for hair loss with hats, scarves and a gorgeous new wig from the Cancer Council wig library. 
Best wishes to everyone
Viv