Travels with Zombie - Chemo Cycle 2 and beyond

[IamtheZombie]

The previous thread is approaching capacity so just preparing this one.

Link to previous thread here

I had my pre-chemo bloods and my flu jab yesterday. Friends from London arrived late afternoon for a week's visit. We had a lovely dinner at the pub in the next village and then came home to set the world to rights while consuming copious quantities of wine and champagne. It was 2.00am by the time we finished. Thanks to the Dexamethasone I still couldn't sleep and only managed about an hour of intermittent dozing before it was time to get up.

Then it was off to the hospital (via MaccyD of course) for my 6th and final cycle of Docetaxel and 5th cycle of Herceptin. So far my sense of taste has disappeared on schedule. Friends are preparing a smoked cod chowder for dinner tonight and I am determined I will be able to taste it!! The hospital pharmacy were late getting my GCS-F injections up to CDC so we had to go back for those after we had done our shopping. CDC still had to send someone down to pharmacy to collect them. But I have them now so can start them on schedule tomorrow.

Now I have the next 2 weeks of various nasty side effects to get through and then I can start to put this phase of my treatment behind me. Appointment for CT scan to check the liver tumours is on 14th October. I will see my oncologist on 4th November to get the results and to discuss what the next phase of treatment will involve.

I'm absolutely knackered and am going to slip upstairs in a minute to change into my nightgown and dressing gown. I will NOT be having a nap this late in the day so I hope I will manage to get at least some sleep tonight.

My love and thanks to all of you for your continuing support. xxx

Hooray for the last Chemo session ! It's good to see that you have some company for a few days. I hope the affects don't hit you too badly so you can enjoy their company. Glad you managed to get your breakfast today !

Another hooray here [pompoms]!

Lovely that you have visitors for a week, they will look after you brilliantly I'm sure and be helpful distraction.

Well done getting through this with such stoicism and humour Z

Onward and most definitely up ((()))

Hope you spent a lovely evening with your friends and had lots of hilarity and .

Hope you are getting properly spoiled by your visitors Zomb.

and

Afternoon!

Sleep was still somewhat elusive on Wednesday night. Thanks to the steroids I was still full of energy yesterday so I put an enormous dent in the laundry mountain while my friends were off exploring. Mushroom risotto and a salad for dinner last night. In bed by 10.30 and up just after 9.00 (not that I slept uninterrupted that long - usual waking up every hour, looking at the clock and rolling over).

They are out again today so I've done a couple of more loads of laundry. My builder called around (FINALLY) and is going to sort my roof (which has been shedding slates) within the next couple of weeks. There's a rather large backlog of other repair work required and he will then move on to those. Salmon is on the menu for dinner tonight.

We're planning to go into Ludlow for the market tomorrow morning (despite the heavy rain forecast). I shall then adjourn to Costa while they explore a bit more of the town. I expect that will be my last outing for about 4 or 5 days as the side effects are due to strike. Friends will be here until Tuesday morning so will take care of me through the worst days.

Two injections down and three to go. I will be able to return my full sharps box to the hospital when I go for my next cycle of Herceptin.

I received a card from DSD1 this morning with a Crazy Cat Lady transfer / sticker. Now I just need to decide where to put it.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. xxx

Glad to see that you are enjoying your time with friends and very glad you have had a couple of days without the side affects kicking in. It's lovely that you will have friends to help you through the next few days. Please god you will not have to go through this ever again. Don't worry about posting when you are feeling rough, we understand.

You're sounding very busy and buzzy

Lovely to get a card from DSD1, would the sticker work on a hat?

You have a good weekend too sweetheart, hope the side effects aren't too bad.

Hope the market was good this morning & that your friends enjoyed Ludlow. It's pushing 30 years since I was last there & I wonder how much it has changed?

Hope the side effects aren't too dire.

good luck for the next few days, I hope you won't be in too much pain. gentle hugs

Hope you aren't feeling too bad Zombie, but it must give you heart that this is your last time. I'm sure it must help having your friends there to help you. Not long to go now and the worst will be over. Hope you still have times when you feel ok between bouts of sleepiness, nausea etc. thinking of you at this time.

Morning.

The side effects have landed. Ouch.

Ludlow was good although I had to adjourn to Costa while my friends explored and shopped.

A couple of other friends are coming over for lunch today. That will be nice. Even nicer is that they are all close enough friends to understand if I need to take to my bed while they are still here.

There's nothing like lovely, comfortable friends like that.

Thinking of you sweetheart ((()))

Good morning Zombie, I'm sure this awful weather can't lift you today, but hopefully having your friends there to support and help you will. Sorry that yet again you are suffering side effects , but you can get through this last hurdle. Sending you my good wishes.

Thinking of you, zombie, as you endure the last attack of the tax truck.
So glad it's nearly over..
You've done so well. You really are a marvel.

Yesterday was fabulous. I probably should have slipped off to bed but I was enjoying the company and camaraderie too much to leave. Five of us around the kitchen table for 4 or 5 hours.

I did pay the price today. Been popping co-codamol as often as possible and 2 x 4 hour naps. Final injection was today and also the first day of antibiotics.

Friends are returning to London tomorrow. It has been a joy to have them here. Usually I'm ready for guests to leave after about 48 hours! The only problem I foresee is that the ZombieCats may have become accustomed to almost constant attention!

Although it was raining heavily this morning, the sun emerged early in the afternoon and it was glorious.

I should be out from under the tax truck in a couple of days.

That's brilliant, good plan to make the most of good company while it's around.

Hideous day here, howling and pouring.

Onward and up Zomb, nearly there now

Glad you had such a good time with your friends.
hope you get over the side effects soon. do rest as well as play ok?

do you like meringue? I'm making some tomorrow and will send some over if you wish!
hugs to you lovely Zombie

BBB

yucky wet day here too. cold as well. I wish we could open a big jar of summer sun and warmth, would be so cheerful!

I think I only know of one lot of friends who are perfect guests.

Hope you are feeling a bit better today.

Weather here more like March than October, sun, heavy showers, a double rainbow & some rumblings of thunder!

Hi Zombie I guess your house will feel very quiet today after your friends have left, but I would think you must be feeling quite tired after the excitement ! Sun is now shining after a really bad night weather wise, thunder, pouring rain etc. hope the next few days are bearable for you. You are nearly there.

Glad you've had a lovely time with guests Zombie.

You can Zing!

The company called 'I want One of Those' sells (well, used to) a big solar powered kilner jar that glows like the sun when the sun goes down

Thinking of you Zombie, sleep, sleep and more sleep is what Dr.BBB prescribes for the next 3 days

BBB

that's my Christmas present sorted then!

can I have a "Sleep sleep sleep" prescription too?

Zombie
thinking of you, I hope you are doing ok and the worst of the side effects are over.

Are you cozy & warm? It's so cold here, in Arctic Surrey, that you can properly see your breath in the morning/evening. shame I can't do schoolruns wrapped in a duvet!

or are there duvet clothes too BBB?!