Okay. One treatment down – ticking that box off right now.

I think for anyone about to experience chemotherapy, it’d be really helpful to hear about the first experience. Now, I cannot tell you about  the side effect because I only just received my chemo, plus also I want mine to be absolutely minimal – so minimal that I have nothing to write on the subject. We’ll see.

Anyhow – it was a longish day. We arrived at the clinic at 12, just in time for my appointment, and took a seat in the waiting room. Two hours later I went into the treatment room. We left at one point to have some lunch, because the consultant advised that it’d be at least another hour of waiting.

Today the room wasn’t quite so crowded. Apparently they’d had a backlog, but I think it was clearing by the time I was admitted.

I sat down in chair number 5 – so that was as expected, and then I was met by my nurse for the hour. He was quite good, reminded me of a friend from home. The nurse explained my treatment and showed me the syringes. . . one was dark red, the other clear.

First he gave me some anti-sickness drugs, which are helping, so I swallowed those no problem. And then we started the chemo. Basically they put in a canula and start with saline solution. It’s a breeze. Then the nurse gets comfortable and begins with the first injection. It’s not too difficult, they feed it very slowly into the vein. The first drug is the most powerful, so there was some slight stinging occasionally in the vein, but we stopped whenever that happened and let the saline run.

Mid way through I had to visit the loo- and as promised my urine was koolaid red. Gross. And amazingly the drug made its way to my bladder quickly.

Quick aside: I’m sipping on ginger beer and think it’s powerful stuff. Whew! The explosion of ginger!

Next came the second drug, this one clear. It was easier to have this given to me – no stinging pain, though it did make my head feel a bit drowsy.

And then that was it. All over. Not so bad.

Of course, I had decided to try the Zolodex for this month, so all this was proceeded with an uncomfortable shot into the stomach by a very lovely nurse. Zsolt’s hand may have been damaged in the process, since I sized it like a vice as the needle just kept going. Eugh. BUT we’ll see what happens next.

Now I’m at home, writing this blog. Truthfully I am starting to feel pretty darn tired, and my stomach feels rather bubbly. Optimistically I had Zsolt run out for pizza, but realistically it’ll probably be boiled rice tonight. Also, need a bit of fibre to help everything move along.

Anyhow – I am alive and fine and coping. Thanks for all the texts, and the good thoughts.

Time for bed!