Chemo #7: Taxol

                                 

    Today was my seventh chemo! Which means I only have one more as long as everything goes according to plan. I am overjoyed at the thought of just one more chemo. Lately I have been noticing the cumulative effects of chemo (being tired all the time, not feeling great most of the time) and am looking forward to the day when I have more energy and feel well.


    Today’s chemo was my first infusion of Taxol. I finished Adriamycin the last round and my final two infusions are Taxol. My treatments are still every other week so my final treatment is two weeks from today! This morning I was not feeling great before I even started chemo. My tolerance for the cold cap and the frozen gloves and socks has gone down. And, the Taxol infusion is 3 hours long, compared to the 10 minute infusion of Adriamycin. Not only was I physically not feeling the best going into chemo today, I was also nervous about potential new side effects that come when starting a new drug. I didn’t know if I could stand to cold cap and wear the frozen gloves and socks but I also wanted to do everything I could to prevent alopecia and neuropathy. But, I made it through 8 hours at the clinic today and I was able to stand the cold cap and frozen gloves and socks. It was a good reminder today to take things one step at a time and do my best not to worry about the future.


    My usual routine on chemo days is blood work first, they place an IV in my arm since I didn’t get a port, and I wait to be called back to the infusion room. They can’t start treatment until they get my blood results back and everything looks good. Thankfully, I have never had a problem with lab results and have always been able to start my treatment.


    Taxol has been known to cause reactions in patients so they run it very slowly and they give Benadryl. I was very thankful for the Benadryl because it made me very sleepy which helped me not to think about the freezing head, hands, and feet as much.


    One more chemotherapy treatment to go. Then comes the next phase of treatment. I have quite the list of appointments on my calendar between now and surgery at the end of June.





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