Hi everyone! Welcome to my new look blog – as promised. Hope you like it.
As you all know, last week Matt shaved my hair off for me. It was quite emotional. At first I giggled uncontrollably, then came the tears. I always knew it would be a sad day. Nevertheless, Matt treated me to a Deliveroo and some prosecco and I got through it feeling pretty empowered that we chopped it off. It’s a relief to be able to get up in the morning, shower and throw on a wig – especially when you’re feeling tired or unwell with the chemo. It’s also fun to play with new looks.
I had high hopes for last week. With it being the 3rd week and just before my next chemo, I was almost feeling normal again. My to do list was calling me and I wanted to get some things in order at home, but unfortunately most of the week was spent at hospital and doctor’s appointments. Wednesday was my only day at home and I managed to clean the house. I also had a fab evening at Arnos Vale cemetary watching Hocus Pocus and Lost Boys at their outdoor screening with Jess, Georgia and Anika.
Many of you will know that I’ve got dainty veins, so I was asked to choose between a port in my chest and a picc line in my arm to make future chemos and blood tests easier. I chose a port, but because my oncologist decided that my herceptin over the next year will be subcut (given via an injection into my thigh), it was thought that a picc line would be more temporary and less intrusive. So after Monday’s appointment with my oncologist, I set off on Tuesday morning to have my picc line fitted.
After 2 shots of local anaesthetic and three attempts at trying to get the picc line in, resulting in an exploded vein, the doctor gave up and suggested fitting a port on Thursday.
Thursday came far too quickly. Armed with a weak dose of Lorazepam, I went in to have my port fitted in my chest. I’m not going to lie, it was hideous. It was painful and uncomfortable and I’m sore and bruised. The failed picc line as well as the portocath and yesterday’s chemo, have left me feeling quite traumatised!
Despite the nasty herceptin thigh injection, chemo round 2 went quite well. Unfortunately the grapple hook needle was accidentally superglued to my chest after they sealed the port pocket up, so after a bit of a struggle, the oncology nurses had to cut it off my chest – leaving behind a bit of the white foam that is still stuck to me.
So I’ve not had the best ‘good week’, and the chemo has kicked in earlier than last time with nausea and tiredness, but as they’ve lowered my dose slightly, I’m hoping no more hospital visits.
Thank you all for your support through this week though…I’m still smiling!
Sarah x
It's not Dermatitis 