Too tired to blog (much)

TC chemotherapy x 4. Herceptin x 12.

Me sporting the wig

I am in my second cycle (cycles are every three weeks) and it seems to be hitting me harder than the first, could be to do with the weather, it's very (very) hot and humid now. I feel tired and out of breath, but generally the side effects have been manageable, nothing overwhelming. More a feeling of a two day old hangover that continues for 5 or 6 days; nausea, tummy upset, acid reflux, dry mouth, weariness.

In the middle of my first cycle I ended up in hospital because of a high temperature. They believed this was due to the eight daily injections I had taken to stimulate the white blood cells in my bone marrow actually doing too good a job.  I am on a now more intelligent, (therefore probably more expensive) solo injection that just watches my count and kicks in only if needed.


Cold Cap

I've been trying the cold cap to save my hair, not sure it's really working... I'm on day 6 now of the second cycle and really it's been coming out since the day after the second chemo session. It still looks OK to the untrained eye, but I can see it's much thinner.  I have a 'Plan B' with my wig waiting in the wings, but it's still upsetting.

I ended up back in hospital for five nights this second cycle, again with a raised temperature. They now think that there might be an issue with my implant.  When my white blood cells are at their lowest the infection seems to head straight there. My silicone side goes pink, tender and enlarges (which wouldn't be too bad but the left side remains a C cup and I end up looking distinctly lop sided). Investigations will have to wait until chemo finishes.

I now definitely don't think the cold cap is working, it's day 20 of the second cycle and I've lost a lot of hair, especially on the crown of my head.  I've had it cut much shorter as I was continually picking up copious amounts of long hair all over the place, eclipsing the amount the dog sheds!

My short and thinning hair

I'm posting as Him Next Door mentioned today that it's been a while since I blogged last!  So I thought I'd better put something up, even if it's a bit incoherent and a jumble.