Day 2

Yesterday got worse.  The nausea was hideous and horribly debilitating.  I curled up on the kitchen sofa, looking green, clutching a bowl which I never actually used but would not give up in case.  The box set of Call The Midwife was wonderfully distracting and kept me going until my next lot of meds could be taken.

As well as the nausea, I developed diarrhoea – a delightful addition to my day.  I had been warned by another chemo endurer that Sudacrem could turn out to be my best friend.  She may not be wrong.  Although at the moment, I would have to say that Sudacrem is lagging behind my antiemetic cocktail of Emend, Domeperidone and Cyclizine in the best friend league table.  Besides these, I have also found my tongue to be tingling and sensitive; my mouth, dry; my limbs shaky and aching; and I have periods of coldness.  The tip of my nose is icy.  The day has been hot and humid but for much of it I have been huddled under a blanket.

The steroids I am currently taking have given me moments of almost manic restlessness but thankfully I am taking them early enough in the day for their effect to have worn off by bed time.  At least I hope I have.  Last night, I slept reasonably well, all things considered.  I was asleep soon after 10pm, woke at 1:30am dozed on & off till 4am when the nausea sent me off in search of a ginger biscuit.  I came back to bed having discovered the ginger beer.  Oh wow!  That stuff was brilliant.  I spent much of my career as a midwife suggesting pregnant women drink it but have never had cause to myself.  It felt vaguely decadent drinking ginger beer and nibbling biscuits at 4am – what can I say?  I don’t get out much.  It did the trick and I was sound asleep by 4:30am for another 3 hours.

During my ginger beer and biscuit break, I did some pondering on the nausea problem.  You see, I am meant to be on the mega good stuff of nausea control.  So either this is how it is going to be – possible; or there is a reason – preferable.  On my take home pack of Domperidone, the instructions clearly state to begin taking them before leaving the hospital on my day of treatment.  However, my nurse suggested I wait until Friday (today) as I would be fine with just the Emend.  So this is what I did.  Hmm.  Also, I take Carbamazepine for my facial neuralgia.  It turns out in some cases this lessens the effectiveness of Emend.  Double Hmmm.  I am reluctant to skip my Carbamazepine unless I have too so I am working with the Domperidone today.  So far so good.  I have still been nauseous but it is a lot more manageable.

I haven’t actually slept today.  Lots of slobbing.  I thought of going for a walk.  But then it rained.  Phew.