The ass kicker chemo ...

In December, my body not only relapsed but doubled the IgG and Myclonal or M-spike numbers from 31 and 29 to 60 and 62.3. It was time to bring in the big guns or as they were referred to "the ass kickers" ... what can I say. The first night of taking both drugs, spaced by about 3 and a half hours, they said to space them ... I thought that would be enough, it wasn't. Apparently spacing them is 10 hours apart. It was one of my worst nights during this journey. I was basically in my bathroom, with my lovely yellow puke bowl in my lap. I had two of them and when we packed house and the three of us all had our own apartments to furnish, I think it was Bry who said, you know Mom, I think I can get my own puke bowl now ... good thing he left me one as it has been well used and for awhile, it looked great sitting on its own pillow on the other side of my bed ...
I was in the washroom, basically for 5 hours ... I talked to both kids, even offering to pay a cab if Ben could come from Waterloo. I knew that Chris had had a rough day at work and it was a long shift ... Gail was in Cuba ... Heather worked until Midnight ... Lynda's hubby works nights and she has to be home ... all of my normal rides were not available. I was on my own for this one ...
The stomach pain was comparable to childbirth with no epidural or other pain pills, I had a splitting migraine that seemed to encompass my head in a vice with pressure on the base of my neck ... my formerly really constipated stools were coming out as water by the end ... there was nothing else left. I would cough and it would virtually come out both ends at the same time.
It was the first time, that I ever wondered if this was all worth it ...

after a chat with the pharmacist and the oncologist, we decided that we should wait to Monday before taking any more pills and that I should try for at least 8 hours apart if not 10. I should take the dex before 930am so that it reacts with the bodies natural dexamethasone ... who knew we had such things and Revlimid well, it is best taken on a full stomach, the only thing is that it caused gas and bloating that first month, with lots of gas expulsions through any oriface that it could find ... I think my brother Bill would have been proud of some of them. I personally was afraid to light a candle for the famous blue flame. Slowly, things were starting to settle down and the first three weeks were over. Then I developed pneumonia. That would be the number one side effect of this drug ... usually happening on completion of your third week of treatment. Hmmm and the fun is just beginning ... to be cont'd