“Do you need a warm blanket?”, my nurse asked me.
“Do you need some crackers or apple juice?”, she asked me again.
My nurse is like an angel.
Actually, all the nurses I have met in my oncology office are so friendly and kind, they help me navigate each step of the process and ease my anxiety with their compassion.
My chemotherapy journey began on June 5th, 2024. The first session was super long, like 5 hours long. After that, things are more manageable, and we have built a routine around it.
The chemo pump will make loud beeping sounds when the infusion bag is empty. Time to change to a new bag.
I have 4 different bags in total.
During the first bag, I usually read my book, check my emails or chat with Greg, my husband. This part is not too bad.
Second bag contains Benadryl. I like to munching on crackers to keep myself awake during this part. It really doesn’t take too long for me to feel drowsy but it is still bearable.
The third bag lasts about 30 minutes long, Greg always sets a timer to remind me to go to the bathroom before we transition to the fourth bag. The fourth bag is what I refer to as the “big boss”. If you ever play video games, you would know that when the big boss shows up, you will need a lot of energy to defeat it.
Okay, so the fourth bag is Taxol, it’s the “One” that causing hair loss, weakening the immune system and it comes with a lot of side effects. Not only that, during this hour-long infusion, I have to put on freezing cold ice pack gloves and socks designed to protect my nails and nerve. The ice packs are freaking unbelievably cold- so cold that I don’t think I will ever want to be friends with Elsa from Frozen. So cold that I now dislike winter even more. So cold that I am so drowsy but it’s impossible to nap, it’s just not comfortable at all.
12 rounds of Chemo. Every Wednesday was my chemo day throughout this entire summer.
One of the infusions includes a steroid that keeps me awake through the night, so Wednesday nights are essentially sleepless. By Thursday, I feel like I just got out from a 16-hour flight, exhausted yet unable to rest. I still can function but it’s far from pleasant. By Friday night, the fatigue hits me hard, and I crash. Alongside this, there are many side effects throughout the treatments, some lingering longer than others. I like to think I handling them as best as I can.
And the day had finally arrived.
“This is it, yeah”, my nurse was cheering for me.
Not just my nurse, my doctors and all other nurses who walked by me, they all cheered for me.
This is it.
On August 28th, 2024, I completed my 12th and final round of Chemotherapy. It’s hard to put into words just how grateful and relieved I am to be finished with this part of my journey.
I still have to go back every 3 weeks for maintenance treatments, but I won’t have to deal with those freezing ice gloves and socks anymore! It is a long road ahead, but I can’t wait for the day I can announce that I have beaten cancer, as I always say, it’s “one day at the time”.
And I know I am getting there.
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