4 Cycles In
I started chemo treatments mid-April of 2026. I have my infusion treatment every other week. Starting on Monday of the first week. I visit NYOH, and have anti-Nasua meds, steroids, and the chemo meds provided into me though my port. This process takes around 3 and 1/2 hours.
I learned of chemo bags, when looking into what one can do when going though chemo treatment. It's a goodie bag that you can take to treatment, as you can be there for a time. It is a treat in a way to have one with you to provide comfort, activities, and a bit of pampering. Mine has a neck rest, blanket, a current knitting project, coloring, ChapStick, headphones, lotion, hard candies, and a fidget! It is nice to have this with me and makes the time go by much faster. I typically start my knitting project and eventually take a nap. I may return to knitting for a bit and before I know it, the treatment is over.
When over, a line is still attached to my port, and a lemon like container with chemo meds is provided. I have a fanny pack which I wear to keep my lemon in. This stays on me until Wednesday (48 hours). Getting it taken off on Wednesday is a treat!
Monday with the meds is weird, my voice is shaky. I feel kind of tired, yet not so much. Neuropathy kicks in quick and is heightened for the week. On Tuesday the steroids have their day. I am at my supercharge setting and try to get as much done as possible. It's fun in a way! Eventually though, there is a crash, which tends to happen that night or on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday are basically sleep days. I try to engage with my kids yet it is difficult. The wave of fatigue is throughout the day/s. From there, its recovery back to myself. It can be slow, and the fatigue is still there, yet a smaller wave, vs a wall.
So 4 cycles in. Oh! Water, Water, Water. I was told to drink water, yet it seems the more I drink the better I feel. In my case, drinking water is a job. I was not one to flavor my water yet now am collecting water flavor packets like it's a hobby.
I met with my oncologist after my CT scan on 6/11. Encouraging news was provided, saying all areas effected have shrunk. My husband was with me and we also asked about the staging and were told stage 4. Getting the stage of 4 was difficult. We didn't have that number in mind, and while it ends the guessing work, it just made it more real. My oncologist was compassionate about it and said we would continue with chemotherapy. This was the message from Boston, so on we go. I'm grateful that I can eat much better from when I started. I'm also grateful that the efforts so far have shrunk the cancer. So 4 down. More to come, and I'm hopeful I'm in a pattern that I can manage.