I had no idea there are hundreds of drugs used for chemotherapy. I didn't know there are so many recipes and blends, nor that chemotherapy combinations are targeted to specific malignancies. Even people with Lymphoma, which I have learned is categorized into many subtypes, don't get the same drugs.
The only things I knew were the snappy nickname, "Chemo", that it makes you go bald and that it makes you vomit.
My cocktail was R-CHOP and consisted of:
R--Rituximab, which is technically not a chemo agent but a chimeric monoclonal antibody. MmmK
C--Cyclophosphamide, which my nurses called cy-toxin. Nice. It is a mustard gas derivative. Nice.
H--Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, which is red and my nurses called it "red zinger". It is an anti-tumor antibody.
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P--Prednisone. Also not a chemo drug but is used as an anti-inflammatory, treatment for nausea, and to stimulate appetite. It gave me energy and I joked about being on performance enhancing drugs.
I took R-CHOP through my port 8 times. I did lose my hair but I never threw up.
The side effects of chemotherapy are seemingly endless. I couldn't listen to Dr. V, the nurses, or even my husband when they tried to talk to me about possible side effects I might experience. It scared me. Fear and the fact that I believe strongly in manifestation made me cover my ears and beg them to stop.
The fact that I did not experience the classic side effect of chemo, horrible nausea and vomiting reinforced my idea that "not knowing" worked best for me. I knew that I would know what side effects I would have as they occurred.
Over time, as I settled into acceptance of my diagnosis and treatment, I sought out more knowledge. But my sickness, diagnosis, procedures, testing, and treatment happened so FAST! I was too stunned to process everything.
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