Getting Informed: Chemo Teach
After my consultation with the oncologist and talking about my treatment plan (chemo, surgery, radiation) I was sent to a private room adjacent to the infusion room. There I was given a binder with information about my specific cancer and the drugs I would be receiving for my chemo treatments and watched a video to educate me about what was going to happen. I would be taking a mix of prescription pills and IV infusions of anti-nausea meds and steroids with various possible side effects along with a couple chemo meds. Because I was HER2+ I would also be getting a Phesgo injection every 3 weeks until I reached my one year mark of starting my treatment. These were a combination of drugs injected into my thigh that specifically targeted the HER2+ protein. I would also be receiving meds to help restore my white blood cell count that chemo destroys.
Learning My Chest Port Doesn’t Work
While I was there they wanted to do a blood draw using my new chest port. They did this every week that I was scheduled for treatment (every 3 weeks) through the whole year. I just had my chest port put in 2 days prior and it was really tender still so I protested a little and they insisted so I gave in. The nurse stick me with the needle into the chest port but couldn’t draw anything out or flush saline in. She tried a couple times and asked another nurse to come in and look at it. Together they tried again and nothing.
“This never happens” one said.
My husband and I just laughed. “Yeah, well, you’ve never met ME before” I said.
“What? Do you normally have bad luck?” She asked.
“I’m NOTORIOUS for having bad luck!”
So it was back to the radiologist who tried to inject dye into it under fluoroscopy (life xray instead of a still image) to see what was wrong and he was just as puzzled. I ended up in another surgery to get it fixed. Thankfully that was the only issues I had with it. The only answer I got as to what went wrong was there were “fibrous bands wrapped around it.” I don’t know how I feel about that answer but it was the only one I got.
Cold Caps
A lot of chemo meds cause hair loss. Its one of the first things people think of when they think about chemo. Mine definitely caused hair loss and we knew that going in. You can view my page on cold caps to read my story of me trying to save my hair.
Items That Helped Me Through…
- A lap blanket
- Imodium
- Miralax
- Preparation H
- Wet wipes
- Protein drinks
- Biotene mouthwash
- Lotion and chapstick
- Claritin
- Headwear: hats, wigs, etc. I never did use wigs, that really didn’t sound appealing in the Arizona summer heat! It was a hat for me all the way, but I didn’t go out much either.
- Shower chair
- Chemo snacks
- Cold caps
- Ice mittens and gloves
- A homemade med chart to check off which meds I took and when. They got confusing for a while.