At my first my mesothelioma chemotherapy treatment session I realised that anyone, like the former me, who thought that cancer only happens to ‘other people’ should visit the chemotherapy treatment room of a large cancer center. In my chemo room there are perhaps 100 big comfy treatment chairs in a large open plan room with privacy curtains, usually left open. It has large picture windows which face a beautiful expansive view over a river valley, very restful.
The point is that during each of my five 4 hour mesothelioma chemotherapy treatment sessions none of those 100 chairs were ever empty for long. Different chemo’s take varying amounts of time but within 10 minutes of a treatment ending each chair was re-occupied by a new patient. I am sure that every day is the same.
So you and all these ‘other people’ have cancer, it is shocking, humbling and ,in a strange way, comforting. Shocking because of the sheer number of cancer sufferers, humbling because however serious you believe your condition is, it is obvious there are others who are not as fortunate and comforting because it reinforces that you are not alone.
My mesothelioma chemotherapy treatment sessions were scheduled for 6 sessions three weeks apart . Prior to each treatment I was prescribed several anti –nausea medications and additional B12 for energy. The chemo drugs were the usual meso mix of pemetrexed and cisplatin with lots of saline solution.
The first session was reassuring, the nurses were caring and professional, the atmosphere was relaxing and the 4 hour session went quickly. The only side effect during the session was lots of peeing due to the large amount of intravenous saline. For that first session my daughter drove my wife and I to and from the hospital, but for all other sessions I felt well enough to drive there and back.
The next day I felt very tired but not unwell, over the next 3 or 4 days I gradually regained my strength, after which I felt completely normal. Longer term but temporary side effects were that my sense of smell was affected in strange ways – I thought my wife was boiling cabbage whenever she was cooking! Those aggressive drugs may attack tumors but they also destroy good stomach bacteria, I got a lot of gas which I treated with probiotics and Kombucha. But I kept my hair!
There was one side effect that was not quite so trivial but it had a good ending. You can read about it here
As the sessions went on the tiredness began to last longer. After the fifth session a few weeks before Christmas my oncologist decided I’d had enough. He explained that the most beneficial effects of chemo are usually the first sessions, after that the effectiveness is reduced.
He felt that the quality of life versus effective treatment must be balanced, he cancelled the final session and let me have a great family Christmas. I was so grateful for that decision. Again he had shown that empathy that had impressed me when we first met.
While on the subject of empathy I want to pay tribute to all the acts of kindness and support I received from family and friends. For instance I was so touched and surprised when two of my friends and work colleagues independently showed up to 2 of my chemo sessions just to keep me and my wife company and chat.
Thank you Heather and Sylvie.
Other friends who regularly message me to check that I’m doing OK. Thank you Trish and Gudrun.
Then there was my best friend who called me after my first session and offered me a job.
I initially told him I couldn’t accept as I was only fit to work 2 weeks out of 3. He said no problem, do what you can when you can, work from home if you want. I hadn’t worked for 9 months and was beginning to feel I was now defined by my illness.
To be back in the workforce with normal people after so long was such a huge boost to my ego and sense of well being. Thank you Richard.
And of course a huge thank you to my wife and family to whom I caused great distress , but who continue to support me with love, happiness and some very long distance air travel.
Sadly there were also a couple of “friends” who just disappeared, don’t know why , scared maybe?
Not worth wasting words over.
So my mesothelioma chemotherapy treatment ended in early December 2016 and my first Scan In 2017 showed no tumor growth or pleural thickening. I now have CT scans every 3 months and that stability has continued for the past 3 years.
My oncologist was pleased, always a good thing! He says that as I responded well to my first chemo I will probably respond equally well should I ever need another course. The recession ended my job a year after chemo, but I was well past retirement age anyway. Time to relax and enjoy life and concentrate on getting compensation.
I am still asymptomatic, but I work out regularly to ensure my lung capacity is still good. I am in general good health and my wife and I still manage to go for long distance walking holidays in Europe.
If it can happen to me, I hope it can happen to you!
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