Thursday, 26th January 2006

What the oncology nurse said

I went to meet the oncology nurse on Monday in preparation for the first of six cycles of treatment which start on 31s January 2006. The nurse ushered me into a room with the a sign on the door that read "Counselling Room". Boxes of tissues were sensitively placed around the room which had a number of seats. This was clearly a room where people came to terms with difficult news. The nurse offered me some tea then briskly got down to business: "Best you tell me what you know about the chemo then I can fill in the gaps."

I spoke about my meeting with 'Captain Mainwaring' and the side effects he relayed. "Hmmm.. there's a little more detail I can provide."

The nurse went on to explain the particular treatment for breast cancer I will be given known as FEC. FEC is named after the initials of the drugs used namely fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide. The drugs are administered via a fine tube into a vein in my hand or arm. I will also be given anti-sickness drugs this way. I can come in be given the drugs and then free to go after about an hour and a half. I am to be given a rest period of three weeks with no chemotherapy and, providing the number of white blood cells in my body have been restored to an acceptable level, they do it all over again. And so it goes on for five further cycles.

The effects can begin seven days after the treatment with individuals feeling at their worse 10-14 days after the chemotherapy. Then, what usually happens is that an individual's blood count gradually returns to normal before the next cycle can start. So far so good. I'm not liking what the nurse has to say but I understand. The nurse spoke about some other possible side effects such as mouth ulcers, taste changes, skin changes such as an itchy rash, irritation of the bladder, diarrhoea, blurred vision and possible impacts on the heart. She then advised me against extending the family further around this time. I guess she has to cater for everyone she sees however I cannot help but think who in their right mind would get pregnant when going through this. The nurse also said she would carefully monitor the epirubicin as it is injected because it can damage tissue around the vein if the needle or tube leaks. Damage tissue around the vein ? I imagine it's not going to feel too good once it moves inside my veins either. Finally, the nurse admitted something which I think we both understood from the start of the meeting: "Basically, on Tuesday next week we're going to be injecting you with..well.. poison". For the first time, I found myself glancing at one of the tissue boxes. But no need. I relayed to the nurse how I had stepped up my water intake and the nurse suggested I drink as much as I could to flush the rotten stuff out as soon as it had done its dastardly deed. I was then taken on a tour of the chemo suite and asked to go for a blood test and an ECG.

When I got back home I treated myself to a cup of Ceylon tea ( not a slice of ginger or lemon in sight). I switched on one of my all time favourite music tracks, pulled on my boxing gloves and thought "Bring it on, I 'm ready".