Not Dead Yet !: more treatment ... and you know what that means!

No more radiation treatment ! (as far as I know) But... now I'm into a cycle of five days chemo, three weeks nothing, rinse and repeat. With three-monthly MRI scans to see if there's still a brain to be treated :-)

So I start the first chemo cycle on Monday. Up at 4am -- the anti-cancer drug needs to be taken between meals, on an empty stomach. Since I wake up several times each night I simply check the time and -- at a suitable time -- go downstairs to swallow the pills.

There are three pills. Adding up to 300mg of drug -- just over twice the dose that I was having with the radiation treatment. Just over twice the chance of side-effects! Common side-effects are (1) tiredness & fatigue, (2) nausea & vomiting, (3) damage to bone marrow, (4) poor appetite.

Well... Monday morning -- after my first dose of pills -- I am, indeed, tired. I had arranged to meet my brother in town... I'm too tired... I cancel.

Just as well... Ten minutes after I would have set off for town and I'm into side-effect 2: vomiting. Interesting... not much nausea. Just enough to warn me: get to the toilet, lean over, now! I take one of the mild anti-nausea pills. A couple of hours later and my stomach has settled, I start with dry crackers and work up to a very light lunch. And sleep for most of the rest of the day.

Side-effect 3 -- damage to bone marrow -- is measured by regular blood tests, measuring my white blood cell count. I was having a blood test each week in the seven weeks of chemo + radiation treatment. I'll have another blood test in January, when this five-day treatment cycle is finished.

This cycle finishes on Friday -- before Christmas Day on Monday. I hope that the weekend is enough time for me to get over the various side-effects... especially (4) poor appetite... Christmas Day is not a day for a person with a poor appetite :-)

On the other hand, a poor appetite is good! In the last three months I've gained 10kg.

First there was the Dex, a known builder of appetite. Okay, I enjoyed the excuse to eat a lot :-) Then there was something -- some part of my treatment -- which caused me to bloat. The bloat has gone. Now... I'm just overweight.

Not to worry, I'll just eat less :-) As if... For ten years I felt that I was 5kg too heavy -- too heavy for my running targets. And for ten years of "eating less" -- I failed to shift any of that 5kg. Oh well... I've always enjoyed eating. Especially when Deb is cooking :-)

Back to Tuesday, day 2 of this treatment cycle: Today I don't wait to feel nauseous, I take an anti-nausea tablet with breakfast. It works -- sort of -- I'm only sick once :-) Then I sleep a lot. And eat a light lunch.

I've cancelled an appointment with the radiation oncologist, the appointment that I feel is one too many, since radiation is finished. Still, I'm happy to see him again in about three months' time, to see if I have any detectable long-term effects of the radiation.

Another three days to go, for this cycle of chemo. Any plans are subject to how I feel each morning. That is, do I feel that I can safely move away from the house with its accessible toilet :-) So far, I feel better by the afternoon. But then, so far I also fall asleep for most of the afternoon.

Not a good time for making short-term plans! Or any plans, I guess... Last week I cancelled a booking for an exclusive, rather up-market visit to Mornington Wildlife Conservancy. Partly the cost, partly the uncertainty of any planning for June. Mostly, though, because Deb said, It's too far from a hospital... Not that that worries me, when a hospital is required I'm usually unconscious and so not worried...

But, back to this week: I'm sick in the mornings. (Deb gives me no sympathy for that. When I was pregnant... she says :-) I'm exhausted all day. But... While I'm sick, while I'm tired, I'm still alive :-)

And that's something to be glad about !