April 6, 2011

3, 2, 1...

My long-course chemoradiation therapy is ending. In two days the pelvic party comes to a close and I begin eight weeks of rest and recovery.

The doctors are happy with how my body has responded; I am happy with how my mind has. The FU! and ionizing radiation have taken turns changing my body, but overall I have been able to go about life relatively normally.

Changes over the last six weeks
  • I developed an aversion to the thought of cooked mushrooms and organic cafes
  • I have had the world's longest cold
  • I stopped eating anti-oxidant rich foods after advice from the hospital
  • I developed some mouth ulcers
  • I go to the toilet a minimum of 6 times a day and each time is louder than the last
  • I woke up with the tube connected to my PICC line tangled around my head at least once every night
  • I broke out in cold sores
  • I was very tired at times
  • I threw up
  • My bot-bot crack feels like it is actually cracked
  • I don't really get hungry any more
  • I had some spasms in the arm that has my PICC line in it
  • The thought of sourdough makes me nauseous
  • I lost my sense of taste a little and now crave Italian food
  • My digestive system got angry and caused me pain

I'm clear of all the big-ticket side effects (my bot-bot is still working for example) so I can just expect more of the above. Side-effects are expected to peak one week after treatment ends, and this seems to be the case for all radiation treatments. 



3 comments:

  1. It's two days later now - so happy end of treatment Ben! And hopefully after a couple of weeks you'll be able to stand the thought of organic cafes again :)

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  2. Eventually, you could take a rest Ben Ben. And as Kathfrog said: hopefully after a couple of weeks you'll be able to stand the thought of organic cafes again :)

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  3. Happy chemo ending day Ben! Will be good milestone to finish them.

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