After all the festivities, this week sees the start of some treatment. Doc has been gracious to put them off till after CNY so that I can have a fully functioning body and mind to enjoy the celebrations. It is important to participate in events that are happening whenever possible – life goes on. So I am glad that I could joyfully be around family and friends (even did some of CNY cooking, though I must admit they did not turn out that great – really I am not much of a cook, P is far better – see postscript)
We always try to get to the clinic early, if possible before 9am, otherwise it would be difficult to get a parking lot. Nurse M managed to set the IV on first try – I am so thankful – there was a bit of mess with blood dripped out – how did it happen – I could not figure out as I was not looking. It did not bother me as long as she is able to set the IV in one go. The IV was for Zometa. In the meantime, the TV was showing a program from a Chinese channel – I picked up two pointers. It was giving advice to parents on what to do when babies and young children have high fevers. They should never submerge the child’s body into cold, icy water. Nurse M explained that the cold water would constrict the blood vessels and thus be ineffective in cooling the internal temperature, the surface of body would be cold but internally not. It is better to place them in room temperature or slight warm water. However it is alright to apply cold compress certain parts of the body – forehead, armpits, groin etc.
Another interesting advice was on starfruit juice, consuming too much of it, is bad for the kidneys – we didn’t get to hear the whys, because by then, the Zometa infusion was completed and we had to concentrate on removing the plug. Very quickly, I prepared my abdomen for the Vidaza jabs. I applied some emla cream to anaesthetise the surface. But I have to say that I still felt the pricks! 4 jabs every day for 7 days. It should end on the following Monday.
I decided not to take Kytril – anti nausea – as I was able to handle previous Vidaza cycles without it. But this time round, by afternoon I was feeling quite awful and threw up lunch. It has been a long, long time since I felt this bad. Anyway I had some Kytril tablets in the drawer and immediately took them. Lesson learned – I shall be taking it daily before the jabs.
I also had a heavy head with the ache mostly at the back. So I rested the entire day and shall be just taking it easy and not expend much energy through the week. I have my knitting/crocheting to keep me quiet and calm. I am disappointed for not being able to join the ladies BS which re-started today and possibly next week too, for by then my abdomen would be very sore!
The “nadir” for Vidaza is 10 days after the 7th day of jabs, so I will also have to be careful and avoid crowd, blood counts do drop and I really do not want to pick up any cold or cough or kind of bug.
Anyway Vidaza is at maintenance frequency of 6 months. likewise for Zometa. So the rest of the time it will be low dose Revlimid 10mg and Dexa 20mg, three weeks on ad two weeks off. On the whole I am coping very well. Indeed I am so happy the my weight came down by 2 kg after we came back from our vacation.
P.S. There were few CNY dishes that did not turn out well and of course I now realised what went wrong.