Chemo No.7

3rd December 2022. William Harvey Hospital

Chemo No.7 DONE ✅

The hospital appointments have ramped up again, between pre-chemo clinic, oncology meetings, counselling and chemo they then added my first radiotherapy planning on top this week.

It’s felt like a lot. 😵‍💫

Hospitals aren’t a nice place to be. As much a I feel surrounded in there by hope and grateful to all of these amazing treatments that are helping people it’s also a place of sadness and despair. Breaking my heart as I sat besides a man breaking down feeling so hopeless that he can’t help his wife with her illness. It’s hard to come home, get on with work and pretend everything’s normal again when there’s so much pain around me in a Cancer ward.

As I get closer to the end of my chemo it’s getting tougher, not just with the physical side effects but mentally.

This second half is a much longer process, alot more hours in the hospital. Starting with all my pre-meds of antihistamine, steroids & anti-sickness before the 3 hours of chemo beeping through an IV drip, followed by another flush.

It’s strange how different types of chemos have such different side effects, I’ve swapped nausea & sickness with bone ache. A sensation nothing like I’ve ever felt before. Throbbing tingling pains down my legs. Pins & needles in my hands & feet that come and go. The chemo fog is is another level. My nails are breaking, sore & sensitive. Oh and almost all of my eye flashes have now fallen out, fantastic. 🖕🏻

Before I’ve even got my head around finishing chemo they’ve started my radiotherapy planning. It’s all moving pretty fast with only a 12 day break. Back in one of these sexy gowns, the radiographers were so lovely. Putting me at ease as I was laid on this huge tunnel machine, marked, measured and lined up all ready to go. Leaving with 3 tiny new tattoos.

On a plus, ONE MORE CHEMO TO GO! 🎢

Always feeling incredibly grateful for all of the people around me picking me up on the low days. Go give the people you love that extra big hug today, we need to do that more 🖤