Harder But Easier

Yesterday I received my chemo teaching from the Cancer Agency pharmacist... information about the drug, how & when to take it, what to do if you forget a dose, etc. Nothing really earth shattering. Then there were all of the new potential/probable side effects. We had looked into our choice of chemo and while the list didn't surprised me, it is much closer now to becoming my reality.

So this morning, I got out my plastic baggie, broke open the blister pack and swallowed my four pills of chemo. Done and easy, right? Well, maybe not quite so.

Up and till now, I've received chemo by IV. It's been done for me and to me (with my consent, of course). I was surrounded by wonderful chemo nurses who would check up on me and other people walking a similar journey. The "social" side of receiving chemo has been a very positive impact for me on this journey.

Now I'll just take my chemo with breakfast and dinner... a definite convenience in terms of appointment times, babysitters, chauffeurs, and pokes. But also a change in terms of the support I'll be receiving (this time via the phone from the nurse line) and will not have contact with other people receiving chemo. And it's a little strange to think that I'm going to have to give myself the medicines that will be hopefully causing my cancer cells to die but also causing my side effects. All of a sudden I'm much more involved in this process.

 It will be different and I'm sure I'll adjust. 

One of the ways I've adjusted is by installing an app on my phone to remind me of which medications to take and when. It may sound silly but some days I have no clue as to what I ate for breakfast let alone if I took the proper weaning dose for my steroids... which means I'm watching for a whole other list of symptoms that could indicate that my brain still needs them.

I'm learning very slowly to receive help in various, new ways.

Starting chemo today is both harder & easier... but on we go.

My new Chemo

A Silly Cake for My Chemo Nurses... even if they won't be giving me my chemo (and that top left blob is supposed to be a brain). Gotta celebrate that at least I have a brain, right?