When I saw my oncologist on Thursday he again reinforced that this round of chemotherapy is done as a precaution and as an insurance to knock out any potential cancer cell that is left out. Of course there are no guarantees, but aiming for cancer free is the goal – and that is what I have to belive in. In order to make this happen he said they are throwing everything and the kitchen sink at me – and then some – to do everything they can. Luckily I was told I could stop one medication, the blood thinner. There are no more blood cloths in my lungs and there is no reason to belive I will develop any more blood cloths. He wanted me to increase the dose of Neurontin that I am taking for the neuropathy since it has not gotten any better but actually gradually worse.

One pill out, but a whole lot of other medications in. Here is the everything and the kitchen sink battery of medication I got on Thursday. In the infusion chair I first got some pills, Tylenol for pain and Zyrtec for allergic reactions. I also got an infusion of Dexamethasone, a steroid to reduce the side effects. And and infusion if Palonosteron to prevent nausea. Then I got an infusion of Avastin, that I have gotten before, which is the immunotherapy that prevents formation of blood vessels. I then got an injection of Atropine to prevent diarrhea. And then a 90 min infusion of the chemotherapy Irinotecan. I did not get this drug last time. It is replacing the Oxaliplatin and it does not have the same nasty side effects as Oxaliplatin. The side effects I had been told about was the normal nausea, diarrhea, thinning of hair, etc. 

The side effects of Irinotecan that I had not been told about began not many minutes after the infusion started. I got dizzy, but with all the other medications I have been taking lately I’m used to being dizzy so I did not call the nurse to tell her about it – I just fell asleep while listening to my audiobook. I slept for about and hour or so. When I woke up a different nurse was sitting next to me. I was still dizzy so I asked her if a side effect of this drug is dizziness. She said that she did not think so. When my nurse came over she asked me how I was feeling and I said I was dizzy and I started saying something else, but I could not speak properly because my tongue was not working right. It felt thick and strange. She told me not to worry and that I was not having a stroke. I also noticed that I had twitching muscles in my back, my thighs and around my eyes. This is something that happens rarely, and of course it had to happen to me… A different nurse came over to check my vitals and she said that this will pass in an hour or two. So when I was done getting the infusion I was rolled out in a wheel chair. James was not expecting to see that so he of course had a worried look on his face and he had a quick chat with the nurse about it.

I got better while in the car on the way home, but I was tired and weak and crashed on the couch when I got home. To top off the amount of drugs I had in my system, after dinner I started taking Xeloda which is a chemotherapy that is similar to 5-FU that I got earlier. This time as pills for for two weeks instead of a 48 hr infusion pump as last time. And as a sprinkle on top on the medication list I picked up two different anti nausea medications and one anti diarrhea to be taken as needed. I have never before seen this many pill boxes lined up in my bathroom. It is a bit overwhelming. At least I don’t have to take blood thinners any longer.

So to how I have been feeling since Thursday. I have been sleeping ok at night. I’m waking up every now and then because I’m sweating: not due hot flashes and not because it is a heat wave here these days (we are using our AC at night). It is definitely a type of sweating that tells me my body is working hard. I have been feeling pretty ok in the morning so far – until I take my first dose of Xeloda – the chemotherapy. About 20 min after taking them I fade out. I feel drunk. Not having fun drunk, but sleepy drunk. The ringing in my ears increase. My eyes prefer to be shut. I get exhausted if I move around too much and the couch is my best friend again. So yesterday, Saturday, I ended up sleeping five hours on the couch outside and woke up just in time for a late dinner. When I went to bed it took a while before I fell asleep, but I slept all night. As I’m writing this I have had breakfast and my first dose of Xeloda, and an increased dose of Neurontin, so I’m pretty beat and tired. When I’m done writing I will probably aim for the couch and have another nap – maybe not a five hour nap today, but who knows.

The anti nausea drugs are about to wear off, so I might get nauseous tonight or tomorrow morning. I have two different pills for that, so hopefully I can manage it without any problems. If I can’t I can get a new injection of anti nausea medication at the hospital.