FEC 1, Day by Day

For my own records...

Day 1 of chemo (Friday) - slept a little in the afternoon, funny tasting mouth, ate too much even though I wasn't hungry. Interrupted sleep - went to bed when tired, but didn't really fall to sleep for a while (until G came up, which is often between 1-2am on a weekend).

Day 2 (Saturday) - awake at 6.30am (possibly excitement of impending laptop delivery). Cleaned 3 bathrooms, did two loads of washing, hoovered & dusted house, changed bed clothes. Went out for 1 (non-alcoholic) drink with the boys. Stayed up until 1.20am to fetch G from Ross, stayed up chatting with G until about 3am. Slept well.

Day 3 (Sunday) - awake at 8.30am and aware I needed breakfast and next dose of steroids so had brekkie in bed while net surfing on lovely new laptop. Got restless, so got up and cleaned kitchen, moved all downstairs furniture on hard floor, hoovered it and mopped it. Desperately needed doing! 2 more loads of washing including clean bedding from day before that cat (bloody Hobbes!) had sprayed. Walked into town at 3.30pm to get a few veg to have with dinner, which G cooked (having finally recovered from his hangover). Roast chicken - couldn't quite finish it. Had forgotten to start milder anti-sickness tablets in the morning, so started with an evening dose. Was a bit more tired towards the end of the day, went to bed at 10pm and more-or-less slept through until alarms at 6am.

Day 4 (Monday) - woke at 6, stared at ceiling and cuddled cats until 6.30am then got up to get brekkie to give something in my stomach for steroids to land on. Smoothie with linseeds (to try and get things moving down below) and grapefruit. Got showered, dressed etc. Ironically am having some fabulous hair days now and skin looks good too. Tidied kitchen from last night's dinner/cooking, fed cats, put recycling out for collection, ironed a shirt for G and made him a coffee. Drove TO WORK!! Spent the day at work. 2.30pm now, and not flagging.... Need to do shopping later as we have no food in the house except gin-flavoured lime jelly. Don't ask! Had chicken and chips for dinner and went to bed about 10.30pm.

Day 5 (Tuesday) - woke at 6 again, got brekkie etc. Beetled about tidying the kitchen, hanging up wet washing and putting a new load on etc etc. G looked much more exhausted than me, but he was up until the wee hours as usual, watching TV. Got the shakes a little bit, so G had to drive in. Maybe too many drugs now? Oh well, only one more day's worth left! Had a scare as tried to move the Freelander and I only got the seat into position before it just stopped - couldn't even get the key out! I called the RAC while G had a look, but he found it was just a loose connection the battery so the RAC were called off, the car was moved and G drove like hellfire to get us to work (not that we were in a hurry, its just how he drives!). Had a good day at work, all feels remarkably under control!

Day 6 (Wednesday) - woke at 4am this time, my earliest yet! Was a bit peckish so got up about 4.30/4.45am and got myself a cuppa and a bowl of shreddies. Better than staring at the ceiling any longer. Went back to bed and slept again for a bit, but declined an early start with G so sent him off at 7am-ish and got up normal time-ish, in for work at 9am. OK day again, although decided not to take the afternoon dose of steroids as my voice was going shaky today. It does seem to have calmed down now, so I suspect I have overdone these particular drugs and won't take so many next time. It's all an experiment, I guess!! Have also decided to take Friday off as holiday to start some Xmas shopping or just sleep, depending how I feel. A quiet day. All is so in control at work that I can easily afford it (after all, I thought I'd be off all this week!!) and I have quite a few days to take and don't need to use them instead of sick leave now I have been given a decent sick leave entitlement. G is now cooking dinner, and I am looking forward to bonfire night tomorrow: cava already in the fridge, and G will go fetch his chiminea from his house and we'll have a burn up in the back garden (weather prevailing).

Day 7 (Thursday) - Work, done. All feeling remarkably under control, which I have decided to put down to my amazing management and team building skills (and the fact I have an brilliant, capable, supportive and motivated team!). Slept better last night, so I definitely think less steroids next time. Looking forward to my day off tomorrow - a day off without having to go to a hospital! Just christmas shopping/planning instead, methinks. Had a quiet evening - chilli con carne for dins, G lighting his bonfire in our BBQ/fire pit, and Luke visiting and playing Forza on the XBox. Too chilly for me outside - trembling in the cold makes my chest feel funny!!

Won't update this anymore unless something happens. I thought I would have some amazingly spectacular crash/sickness etc during this first week but I feel so really normal. A little shaky maybe, but nothing that stops me carrying on with everyday life, so it has all been good.

Lets keep fingers crossed that future treatments are this good. xxxx