DAY 1

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DAY 1

Energy level: Bouncy
Attitude: Optimistic, excited, a little nervous
Physical Condition: Pretty strong and healthy

Got to the Cancer Centre before 9am and they were waiting for me! I was whisked straight into LA3 - my own machine - to whip off my top and lie on the bed. I was a little embarrassed when I got on facing the wrong way. It seems the actual machine points the opposite direction from the Simulator. *awkward*
Once we'd got me the right way round and I was shuffled and prodded into position the technicians left the room, a buzzer sounded and the music came on.

The machine was whirring and the bed moved a little but there were no bright lights. So I lay there patiently and concentrated on the music. How nice of them to tailor the music just for me! I kept hearing:

"..for the very first time, the very first time."

It was Roxette and the words went very well with the occasion:

"like a break in the clouds
And the first ray of sun
I can feel it inside
Something new has begun
And it's taking control
Of my body and mind"

Then the next song on went:

"Solitary brother
Brother
Is there still a part of you that wants to live? I realised it was Seal with "Killer."

I was beginning to see a pattern and I think they must have bought  That's What I call Radiotherapy 12 - it was awesome.

I was just beginning to wonder when the machine would start up when the staff came back in and told me it was done and I could go.

Time to sprint up the stairs, past the wheelchairs with the names Dick and Harry on the back - and wonder where Tom had got to, and get to Chemotherapy. They waved me through to the Suite and I sat in the recliner that was waiting for me.

Sarah looked after me all day. She put a canula in the back of my right hand. Put up a drip to flush out the vein, then put a 2 hour drip full of saline to hydrate my kidneys before the chemo proper went in. I sat in the recliner with my guilty pleasure - I'd bought two glossy, girly magazines to read - while it all went through and I chose my Spring/Summer 12 wardrobe :-)

I was also given a chart to record all the drinks I had (mugs of tea - 200 ml, glass of water 180ml) and how much urine I managed to pass out. There were measuring jugs in the loo! I was shown how to disconnect the drip from the power and and left to it. Lovely Nathan stayed for a while to keep me company before he had to go off and do some work.

Then it was time to get the Cisplatin out - it was in a bright red bag with all kinds of danger warnings on it. Firstly she used my canula to squirt some anti-sickness medicine and some steroids to help that work. She said the steroid injection might give me a prickly feeling in my bottom - but I am disappointed to report that it didn't!

Then a half-hour bag of Manudol, which Sarah explained was like a water tablet and would make me go to the loo more. This is a GOOD THING - as it gets the poison out of my kidneys pretty quickly.

This was actualy painful though as it was going through. She said it would make my arm ache - no idea why. Still - they had something for that too. I was given a mini electric blanket for my arm :-) it was lovely!

Once that was done it was time for - the CHEMO. She put the red bag up and clicked the button and it started it's drip, drip. drip into my arm. Three hours of it. Sarah said I had to tell her if I felt ill at all. Then they brought lunch :-) I was feeling fine and had a jacket potato with cheese, some lemon sponge with custard and apple juice. I really enjoyed it too.

Three hours later the drip beeped and I was still feeling absolutely fine. Another 2 hour bag of saline, with added potassium and magnesium for the kidneys and I would be done.

It was five thirty and I had completed my first chemotherapy and felt just as good as when I went in.

That is HALF-WAY through my chemotherapy :-)

I have a bag full of different drugs to take at bedtimes, before meals, after meals to keep the sickness at bay.

Back to Radiotherapy at 11.50am tomorrow for DAY 2