What Chemotherapy is and What it Isn't - Last Chemo!!

My last chemo treatment is tomorrow!  Now that I'm coming to the end of it, I thought I'd share what the experience was like for me.  Everything you read gives you an idea, but it's always the ubiquitous "it's different for everyone", which is really not helpful.  It probably IS different for everyone, but certain things are completely controllable by you and your attitude.

What Chemotherapy is:

1. In lay terms, chemotherapy kills all the fast growing cells in your body (cancer is made up of fast growing cells), which means you lose your hair, your period stops, your stomach can be upset, taste buds go, etc.
2. Chemo makes you tired.  For me, the first few days are the worst, but after about a week I'm back to my usual self. In week 2-3 each time I basically felt like myself.
3. Chemo will mess with your digestive system, but that doesn't mean you will be throwing up all the time. I vomited twice, and each time it was because I forgot to take my anti-nausea pill.  I consider that to be on me. Warning, TMI moment! I have also not had a normal bowel movement since it started. Mirolax and Immodium are your friends depending on the situation.

What Chemotherapy is NOT:

1. It's not the end of the world. You are doing this to CURE YOUR CANCER!! so go with it.  It's a good thing!
2. It does not have to derail your entire life.  I worked through the entire thing and took breaks when I needed them.  I went out to dinner with friends, I went to the movies and I played my horn.  Hell, we are even in the middle of trying to buy a house! Life has gone on as usual, just with a few crappy days thrown in here and there. 

Some Advice:

1. Take the drugs they give you.  I got to where I took the anti-nausea pills for 10 days after each treatment. That seemed to be the magic number of days before I didn't need it anymore, but if you need them the whole time, TAKE THEM!! Also, take something to help you sleep if you need it!
2. If you experience diarrhea or constipation, take something as soon as the symptoms start.  Don't wait to see if it will correct itself, it won't!  Better living through chemistry I say!
3. Keep doing normal things as best you can.  The more I kept my normal way of life going during treatments, the easier it was to get through them.
4. Nobody cares that you don't have any hair!! I never got comfortable enough to go totally bald in public (I always wore a hat-especially at work) but at home and around my friends I just rocked the bald head.  I did leave the house once and realized I forgot to put on a hat, but I ran the errand anyway and seriously, NOBODY BUT ME CARED!!

Tidbits Nobody Mentions About Chemotherapy

1. No hair means no hair everywhere!  I have not shaved my legs or armpits in 2 1/2 months.  An unintended perk!
2. It may turn you into a hat person.  I never wore hats before, but now it's kind of my thing.
3. People will do your laundry and dishes for you!! Seriously, ask anyone!!

The next step for me will me an axillary lymph node dissection.  They will go in and take out more lymph nodes and test each one for signs of cancer.  Best case scenario, they find nothing, or all they find is dead cancer cells.  Depending on the outcome I will be done, or there will be some radiation therapy.

Thanks for reading!  Hopefully it's mildly informative.