Last night, shortly after 23:00hrs, I made my way to my Drug’s Drawer, which it’s quite a distance from my bed, removed the packet of thalidomide and felt relieved, that for the foreseeable future, I was taking my last dose of thalidomide. Once I swallowed the two plastic coated tablets, that was it, VTD/VDT was over. I was done.
Considering that I did not know I was going to be on VTD/VDT, nor did I want to, I can say that the last four months, 112 days, has gone reasonably quickly. In that time, I failed to establish the correct name of the treatment, but I do know that I took 224 tablets of thalidomide, 480 Dexamethasone tablets, have 16 more Velcade injections and thus have 112 nightly injections of Fragmin, equating to four full sharps boxes, which needed to be disposed of. All of it was done without a break. My last Velcade injection was last Friday, prior to the long walk to my drugs drawer, I gave myself my last injection of Fragmin, and my last dose of Dexamethasone, thankfully was a good few Mondays ago. The times, they are a changing.
Clearly, it is probably not the last time I will ever take these drugs. At the start of January, I said I had had my last ever Velcade; this was, quite quickly, not the case. I have learnt by now, in this merry game of myeloma treatment, to never say never. I may have given myself my last injection of Fragmin, but if my transplant does go ahead, I imagine that I will be given something similar to Fragmin because I am not going to be moving much, and as the person trained in ladies’ bits and pieces said, my weight makes me more vulnerable. Unfortunately, steroids form a back bone to myeloma treatment according to the Medically Trained Person I asked on Wednesday, so at some point, they will also return to my life. In spite of that reality check, that in all likelihood, last night was not the last time I would take any of the drugs, I still allowed myself a wry smile and an inner flutter of excitement that I had completed this round of treatment. The sight of that empty thalidomide box, my oh my, did it give me goosebumps.
It is done. One more chapter down.
The journey I am on… Bloody hell.
Mamma Jones said that I should celebrate last night, but unfortunately, after a relatively busy two days prior, I was incapable of celebrating yesterday. I did not leave the flat all day. To be perfectly honest, I do not recall walking past my bedroom towards the front door. I essentially existed within three rooms. This fact, did put a dampener on any celebrations because my nemesis, Mr Frustration reared his ugly head. Though, that does bring me on to the second reason I am pleased this treatment is over. That side effect, fatigue. The fact I have taken my last dose of thalidomide, means that at some point in my near future, the level of fatigue I have been experiencing will fade. It will not be today, but they will and with just 11 days before I go in to hospital (possibly), that is most welcome. It is beyond welcome in fact. I do not want spend any of the days I have left, this side of my transplant, not leaving my flat. No way, Jose.
So, with great pleasure and relief, I can say, VDT/VTD, complete.
EJB x
