One down, five to go!

Its day 5 after my first Chemo session and I thought it would be good to share my experience.
Monday - After a sleepless night due to anticipation concerns arrive at Christies for my first Chemo session. Clock in and queue for bloods, then wait to see the consultant. Brief meeting then its off with my orange bag to the chemo suite. Been virgin chemoers not sure of the schedule so wait in waiting area for nearly two hours. Now know that they have to wait for blood results to make sure your blood levels are OK to start and they will wait until these are confirmed before making up the sauce.
I am on ABVD, each letter standing for a drug type:
A - Adriamycin Doxorubicin - Via syringe and bright red in colour which makes you pee pink!
B - Bleomycin - Via Syringe
V - Vinblastine - Via Syringe
D - Dacarbazine - Via infusion (drip) which takes approx 45 mins and is uncomfortable.
Add to this two bags of two bags of saline and an anti-sickness shot, you have just over 1 litre of liquid added to your blood stream and for the next 24 hours you urinate every time you pass the toilet!

The nurse was great, as are all the Christies staff I have met so far, and she spends the first 45 minutes going through the process and side effects. Found this hard as I had heard and read it before but this was real and there was no going away this time, it was about to start!
Main side effects are Nausea, Lethargy (worse than usual), Aching caused by bone marrow suppression, Anaemic, bowel problems and hair loss (not that this will have much effect).

Had my Cannula fitted and off we go. No problems with the injections with a cold sensation moving up the arm. The infusion is painful as the drug moves through the veins so a heat pack is placed on my arm to open the veins. All together on the big chair for approx 2hrs then its home. One down, 5 to go!

That evening have flu type symptoms for approx 2 hours and tuck myself under the duvet, have some food and drift off to a good sleep.
Tuesday - Woke feeling a bit tired and after the 3 S's feel OK. Spend the afternoon on the computer and settle down for early night. No bowel movement!
Wednesday - AM asleep!. Finally found the energy to get out of bed at 1430! The only way I can explain myself in 'Yuk'. Very tired, lethargic not fit for anything. Gradually get better during the evening. Still no bowel movement!
Thursday - Bad nights sleep. My bones are aching in my legs and arms. Sensation is that my bones are rotating and can't get comfortable. Get up mid morning but find myself on my bed again soon. Feeling continues throughout the day and moves to my pelvis and face. By evening very uncomfortable. Its been three days!
Friday - Wake hoping to feel better - not! Cheeks and chin ache and again feel 'Yuk'. Have a visit from a friend which was great. Discuss how issues like this illness put things into prospective as his wife is also going through Chemo. Conclusion is that too many people panic over trivial issues which puts the world into mass hysteria. Certainly makes you look at things in a totally different way. Talk to work to touch base, possibly a mistake as feel a bit wound up after. Things aren't how they should be and I can't do anything about it!
Feel fit enough to go a get kids from school and face the outside world for the first time, good in someways but felt tired after. Start to go under early evening with aches on face and chest and retire to bed. Made a visit but it was not four days worth!
Saturday - Today. Best nights sleep all week but wake tired and still aching. Slow morning in bed. Bowels starting to work and it feels better, a great weight off my mind! Family out and chilling out watching athletics. Normal Saturday, City loose again!

Hope to feel a bit better next week to recover and gain strength before it all starts again in 9 days - great!

See you