We are ending week 2 of Andy’s chemo (yup, dh gets a name on the blog now – after all this, he’s earned a name 😉 and I thought it was time for an update. I likely would have updated after week 1 but it was a time warp and went by quickly, which I suppose is a good thing.
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In his cycles (3 in total) there are 3 weeks in the cycle. Week 1 is treatment Monday – Friday, approximately 3 hours long, but longer depending on wait for a bed, hydration, wait for the drugs etc. On average we were spending that first week at the Cancer Centre from about Noon until 5:30.Â
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The staff at the centre are exceptional. While we don’t always have the same nurses, all of them are amazing. The centre itself is a beautiful, bright space with large windows and open. You can see other patients and never feel alone.
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We tended to see a lot of the same faces that week, a few in particular that seemed to always be in the afternoon with us. We would all smile at each other and in a way it was odly comforting to see the same people again and again, although I only wish their treatments would end soon for them too.
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Andy settled in fairly well and was extremely strong. In the first few days you would never know he had just spent the afternoon at chemo, except that he was exhausted. He has multiple anti-nausea medications to take to counter the affects.Â
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We found the afternoons past fairly quickly. He would rest, or surf the net, or play Angry Birds or chatting with me plus he was getting new drugs hooked up to him every 30-90 minutes. I found it went by quickly by surfing, chatting or running to do errands in the main part of the hospital – pharmacy, insurance calls, snack/coffee run (he would have a bowl of soup each afternoon, I would have a coffee of course!)
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Towards the end of the week it got harder. He couldn’t drink at much. He wanted to eat, but at times was feeling nauseus so it was hard to know what he even wanted. He wasn’t sleeping that well, mostly because of the nausea and discomfort in his arm from the temporary iv line they put in (rather than being picked each time).Â
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By the weekend he just wasn’t better. We knew after 5 days of chemo he’d feel crummy, but that feeling just didn’t get better and something wasn’t as it should be. When we went in for his Monday treatment, we flagged it to the nurse and she had a doctor check him out before proceeding with the chemo. He ended up being dehydrated, but fortunately we caught it before it spun into something scary. They put him on a hydration drip, gave him his chemo and arranged for more hydration bags to be given by a home care nurse at home.
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He did that for the next couple of days and by this weekend felt so much better. It’s nice to see him eating well and enjoying food, playing and chasing the kids and generally feeling himself.Â
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The kids are doing as well as they can – ds goes to school most days and when we are gone they are with family – with whom they feel completely happy and comfortable. This makes a huge difference while we sit at the hospital for hours – knowing that they are ok. But by the end of the long week, I am done. Andy is done and the kids are done with it. I do find myself missing them terribly when I’m gone and this past ‘quiet’ week has been a really pleasant one. DS is still adjusting, he is a creature who needs routine and some days he is very emotional. Combined with days when I am over tired and it’s hard.Â
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We have had an enormous outpouring of support. Family to watch the kids, places to have playdates and have some fun, food being cooked for us (the ‘big weeks’ meant we were getting home late to tired kids and we still had to eat – they were fed, but it was a choice of eating or getting them ready for bed, let alone cooking). These extra hands have been a blessing.
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Overall? It’s ‘better’ than what I expected, if I can say that, but frankly, I didn’t know what to expect!! Since he’s feeling better and sleeping less, we’ve been watching some movies and spending extra time together which is really nice.Â
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What we feel is that we CAN do this. We WILL do this. He’s doing really great and is movtivated.
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Thanks for all your well wishes, I’ll keep you updated. We are entering week 3! 6 more to go after this 🙂
This is what 2 people kicking cancer in the balls looks like:
You both look healthy and happy – I truly hope that the chemo works its magic and doesn’t leave you two the worse for wear. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
So glad that you had a Dr. check on Andy when he wasn’t feeling the way he should have been and that the dehydration was picked up on early enough. You two are such a sweet couple and such blessing for one another. It’s a blessing too that you family and close friends are nearby to step in for you and that the upheaval to the little ones is minimal. It’s very hard to keep things *normal* as possible during this time but with love, support and prayers all things will be managed. Thanks for the update. Best wishes for successful treatments in the coming weeks.
I’m so glad you have the support you need, but how can you not? I don’t know Andy, but I “know” you and you’ve always been kind, supportive and loving… with a bit of an edge.
Andy, you are going to kick cancer smack in the balls!
Now that’s a picture of the two BEST ball kickers I’ve ever seen. Cheering you as you both kick the crap out of cancer. Thank you for the update and sharing.
I’m cheering for you guys to kick some serious cancer ass as well. Wish there was something I could do in real life, but have some virtual hugs….
Thinking of you…
Glad that it is going as well as it could. You both seem to be doing great.
Hi Becky – I “met” Andy on the TC forum and just wanted to let you both know my husband and I are thinking about you. You’re in the home stretch now! Hang in there, J