Sorry it is so long between posts. It's amazing how tired this chemo makes me. Last Tuesday I had treatment #4, so I'm officially half way through. This was the last infusion of A/C and next week I start taxol. It isn't supposed to be as bad as the first two (I'm told Adriamycin is called the "Red Devil" and is the worst of the three). It does come with its own set of side effects- joint pain and the possibility of nerve pain in the hands and feet. It would be nice to have a small reprieve.
After my second A/C treatment and into the third I experienced an odd reaction. My fingertips turned bright red and felt like they had been burned. I couldn't touch anything without pain, it was awful. Then the skin turned thick and now is peeling. My oncologist was baffled, but it turns out it is a rare reaction to the Adriamycin. It usually happens after the last treatment, so she decided that I needed a lower dose this last time and reduced the infusion by 25%. I thought I would have less side effects, but I didn't.
I'll try to post again soon as I want to share some of the thoughts and reflections I have had while lying on the sofa staring at the ceiling, which is what I do about 90% of the time!
Thanks for all the great energy coming my way.
Anita
Dear Anita,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting about your milestone! Must feel so encouraging. I have refrained from pestering you with personal emails because it seemed if you had the energy for that you would have posted to the blog! I guess typing with fiery fingers wouldn't have been a pleasant experience. I never heard of that side effect, but it seems your doctor should have been better informed. I'm glad to hear the next one should be comparatively a cakewalk. And instead of staring at the ceiling, you should celebrate your progress with a laugh out loud movie! I recommend A Fish Called Wanda. All my love,
Maggie