Jason and I scheduled this treatment early because it would be my first time receiving Taxol. My first AC treatment ended up being late in the day and walking out of the hospital at 6:30pm, when all my doctors are gone, with something given the nickname "The Red Devil" running through my bloodstream made me a little uneasy that night! Needless to say, we didn't mind leaving at 6:45am to make a 7:30am appointment this time!
I'll be honest and say that I had heard all the Taxol horror stories, so there was definitely some anxiety floating around, but I pulled out a few verses that I cling too often!
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4: 6-7
NIV
I think it was a little after 10am by the time we were escorted to Chair 27, by another breast cancer survivor, I might add, which I always love to meet! My pre-meds changed a little this time, I still took a steroid (which I had taken during the AC treatments), but added benedryl and pepcid (which would hopefully help with any possible reactions). An hour of fluids is always a must, and this time the pharmacist came by to chat since it was my first Taxol. My advice to others in my shoes, if you are like me and should never read the fine print that comes with any medication you pick up from the pharmacy, then stop the pharmacist in her tracks and let her explain it all to whoever is with you! I clearly didn't think fast enough to do that, so I sat and listened as she told me that if I was to have a reaction, it would happen within the first 15 minutes. I was to push the nurses call button if I felt any lower back pain, chest pain, or shortness of breath, or if I started itching or feeling a warm flush come over my body. Oh dear, DO NOT tell Suzanne stuff like that! Ask Jason, he seriously takes away all information stapled to prescriptions so I can not read them. Oh well, the show must go on, and I just kept clinging to my scripture and praying and we made it through 15 minutes with no problems! It wasn't long until the benedryl kicked in and I took a little nap! But with my tag-team of company (thanks Mo and Jason), who knows how many trips to the bathroom, and my nap, the time passed pretty quickly and by 3pm we were heading out the door with the first Taxol behind us and only 3 treatments left! When I walked in with 4 left, it merely felt like we were still halfway, but walking out with 5 down and only 3 to go, we are officially on the downhill slide now! YIPEE!
The list of side effects also changed with Taxol and I think I might get to leave what feels like my own personal pharmacy in the cabinet for a while. Taxol's biggest side-effects are body aches and neuropathy. Did you read that?!?!?! No nausea! I was honestly still waiting for the nausea to hit on the car ride home today and it never did! The benedryl really did make me sleepy, so I took about an hour and a half nap when I got home, but I woke up and couldn't believe myself. I honestly felt like I hadn't even had a chemo treatment! A typical afternoon following AC treatment consisted of me snuggled up in the corner of the couch downstairs with a tall glass of lemonade (only because I can't stand to drink plain water anymore, but I am trying to just squeeze fresh lemons in my water now and ditch all the sugar lemonade has) and my blue bowl was never out of reach. I never got sick and had to use my blue bowl, but I always felt on the verge. So today was an amazing feeling! I know tomorrow may be different and the aches may come, but I will just be thankful that for now I can say bye-bye to the blue bowl!
Woohoo! You are one day closer to getting better :) I love that verse and it was good for me to hear today. Thanks for sharing!
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