Hair today, gone tomorrow?
So it’s over a week since my first chemo infusion and I seem to be dealing with most of the weird side effects ok now although it’s scary to think that I have five more infusions to go and the effects are cumulative so I can expect the side effects to get worse!
It’s a very long process to go through! Firstly I had a heating pad on the back of my hand for about 20 minutes to try and make my veins more visible. I have tiny veins so they are always an issue!
I then had the cannula inserted and a saline drip started while they sorted out my cold cap. This is supposed to help me keep at least some of my hair and works by freezing the hair follicles.
Imagine the worse brain freeze that you’ve ever had from eating ice cream too fast and then multiply that by 100. That’s what the first 10 minutes felt like to me. I considered giving up but thankfully my head went numb so it became bearable. The cold cap takes 30 minutes to get cold enough then stays on through the whole infusion and for 90 minutes afterwards. So I wore it for about 4 hours. I had a headache by the end because it’s quite heavy but that went when it was removed.
You look a mess when they remove the cold cap afterwards. Your hair is covered with conditioner and ice. They gave me a towel and I wore a woolly hat home.
Had to go for an echocardiogram this week as one of my chemo drugs can damage the heart so they need to monitor me. Great that chemo fights cancer but can give you heart disease!
The next thing is a blood test on 23rd to check my white blood cells are high enough for the next infusion. I’m also supposed to talk to my oncologist by phone (still haven’t met him!) so I will tell him I’m not having the bisophophate infusions and that I want a different hormone treatment. I’m anticipating an argument!!!
My hair seems fine (so far!) I do expect to lose some and probably after the next infusion which is due to take place on Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas ๐๐
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