Day 1 – Nothing much to report. The cannula was less comfortable than usual. The nurse said it might have been pressing on a nerve a bit. Husband wasn’t sufficiently bothered to ask her to redo it, it was just that he was conscious of it. We arrived around 8.10, his hands were warmed to get the the veins ready and he had his steroids and anti-sickness meds then the 2 chemos and finally the magic Rituximab with saline flushes before and after each drug and he was all done ready to leave at 2.30pm :-). He went to bed for an hour or so when we got home and feels a bit sick but broadly okay.
Day 2 – He hasn’t slept well for the last few days. He’s always had difficulty sleeping but the drugs do seem to make him pee a lot at night – that and the fact that he’s trying to drink more than he usually does because it’s important to flush the system. He’s still feeling a bit sick so is taking the anti sickness tablets but he felt better this afternoon and we walked the dog together. There’s still no noticeable hair loss. He’s not vain but he’d hate to lose his eyelashes. I suppose we all have an image of cancer – face slightly puffy from steroids, no hair, no eyelashes. It’s impossible to pretend to be normal. We have the luxury of pretending to be normal. Is that a good thing, though?
Days 3 and 4 – He’s feeling rather queasy at times and just a bit ‘non’. He can eat but nothing tastes right. He’s enjoying pottering in the garden but the way he’s feeling is disappointing. Perhaps being so very fortunate has spoilt us.
Day 5 – He feels more himself today 🙂 and felt like an espresso this morning. This is good news – in the early days after chemo he can’t face coffee or wine (although he manages a breakfast coffee) so I know he’s feeling better when he can have the odd daytime coffee.
He feels a bit sick this evening but hasn’t felt sick during the day and is generally feeling much better although he’d feel better still if he wasn’t still feeling bloated. The metallic taste is still there at times and even his eyes ‘feel metallic’ somehow.
Day 6 – More of the same. The metallic taste persists at times, he’s still feeling a bit bloated and sick at times but broadly he’s getting better as the days go on. He managed 2 dog walks and seems to benefit from his afternoon naps. We are so fortunate that we work from home. He wouldn’t be able to work in an office or something – perhaps a morning but no more than that and then there’s the risk of infection. We’re being careful to isolate ourselves as much as possible.
Day 7 – He can enjoy a small glass of white wine :-). He’s now sure the numbness and tingling in the tips of his fingers is the chemo not the nettle stings from the gardening but he says it’s really not too bad at all.
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