AC Treatment Cycles 1&2

I did not know what to expect from chemotherapy nor did I want to check or read up too much either. The internet has a subtle way of pushing horror stories and I wanted to guard my heart and mind jealously. Thanks to God, He saw me through the treatment and life after healing I’ll share some of my experiences on ways to cope with Chemo side effects.

March 6, 2017, was my first of eight chemotherapy treatments.  I remember waking up and trying to get it together. The kids woke up and my husband and I tried to prepare them for school. I juiced my carrots, made my smoothie, packed some food and we headed out. After dropping the kids, a great dark fear gripped me. My mind became a battle zone. Immediately I remembered Psalm 81:10 where God commands us to open our mouth wide and He will fill it.

I opened my mouth and thanked God for early detection, going ahead and preparing the nurses and the doctor. This was a shadow of death and not death itself. The hot tears came gushing, and my nose was running. I cursed the cancer cells to their roots. and commanded them to shrink and my spirit to rise and fight! Chemotherapy’s symptoms and side effects would not overpower me. I kept speaking until the fear was lifted away. I called Apostle Ekoh who reiterated that this was a fight of faith already won.

The First AC Treatment Cycle

We made it to Weymouth in time and checked in for treatment. Before treatment could commence, vitals and blood samples were taken to be sure I could receive treatment. The results were sent to Dr. Chi who then released the orders (medications) for chemo. It was a 5-hour process of intravenous infusion.

First, the fluids to keep me hydrated, then the anti-emetics and steroids to prevent nausea. Then came the cancer medications. The nurse pushed the Adriamycin while the cyclophosphamide was infused. There were no immediate side reactions. As the cycle concluded, my stomach began to feel heavy-like I had swallowed a heavy metal. My body began to slow down and I started feeling tired. What a day! It started as early as 6 am, we left DCFI at 3 pm and headed to get the children from the Sules.

Coping with Side Effects

One major side effect by evening was nausea. Nausea reminded me of Tami’s pregnancy. It was surreal. To prevent full-blown vomiting and the misery that came with hyperemesis, I had to take Zofran, Compazine, and Dexamethasone like clockwork.

By the next morning, my body knew something foreign had been introduced. Getting out of bed was a struggle. My throat felt very dry. The nausea was real. Everything was smelling, as in the days of Tami’s pregnancy.  I could only eat tiny meals at a time which made me eat at odd hours of the night hours to keep the nausea in check. Hydration is key, but I could not drink water just like that because it had a metallic taste in my mouth. The only way I could drink water was if I had a bit of bitter kola, followed by water. The bitter kola helped quell nausea till I could take the next course of anti-emetic.

In between, the meds, bitter kola, and granny smith apples came to the rescue to help the metallic taste. The first week was very hard in terms of fatigue and nausea. By the 7^th day, the symptoms had started to wear off and it felt like I did not go through chemo at all. It felt so good! Chemotherapy may not be bad after all. I continued to eat as well as I could, drink my smoothies, and hydrate in preparation for the second AC treatment cycle.

The AC Treatment Cycle 2

I walked into my second treatment very confident and ready to conquer. My blood test results were excellent, and I met the conditions for treatment. My sister’s friend, Elizabeth was there to support me. She made me some delicious amala and spinach soup that I ate during treatment. Fatigue and nausea began to show up the next day. I also noticed discoloration in my fingers and my tongue was sore.

Swallowing became difficult and I developed thrush. My tongue felt like it had been bruised. My premolars were feeling sensitive. 3 days after cycle 1, my hair began to fall off. I had held on to my hair hoping it would not be affected and I prayed it would not be affected. Unfortunately, chemo meds destroy fast-reproducing cells in the body. Those cells are found in hair follicles and the gastrointestinal tract. Before it all fell off, I went to my hair stylist for a major shave. By cycle 2, I had no hair.

Dealing with dehydration

There is something called the mucous membrane that lines and lubricates every part of the body. Chemo meds destroy those too leaving one dry all over. You are dried from the inside out. It did not matter how much I hydrated. My tongue always felt stuck to the roof of my mouth and my scalp felt so dry and itchy.  I was dry all over; as in ALL over! Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night feeling dehydrated and stuffy. The Adebiyis suggested I get a humidifier. It came in handy and made sleeping much easier.

I continued to follow my nutrition, hydration, and beauty regimen. By the 5^th day after my second treatment, my body felt weak. Something was not right. Bitter kola was not working, the sour apples tasted sweet. The sight of carrot juice didn’t excite me but I had to hydrate. Seeing the port was starting to hurt. The pain became unbearable by the day.

Every patient’s journey is different, I would like to share some things that kept me through the Chemo journey.

Tips for Coping with Chemo Side Effects:

• Maintain positivity and faith throughout the treatment process.
• Seek emotional support from friends, family, or support groups, regardless of your inner strength.
• Follow a well-balanced nutrition plan and stay hydrated.
• With the guidance of your doctor, use a humidifier to manage dryness and discomfort.
• Accept and embrace physical changes. like hair loss, with grace.

In each cycle, know you are a step closer to victory. It is possible to overcome Cancer.