So, let’s talk about the side effects of chemo. It’s mostly been a stomach situation for me. After my second infusion, the stomach pain and diarrhea made their grand debut on Friday night. Naturally, the very next morning (9/21), I decided to take Saraya to Ocala Comic Con. I was determined not to let my colon steal the show. We swung by the pharmacy, grabbed some Imodium A-D, and hit the road for the two-hour trip. Let me tell you, I spent that entire drive praying to the universe that I wouldn’t have a bathroom emergency in the car. Thankfully, I made it through the event without any disasters.
We even had lunch and met up with my friend AJ, but by then, I could feel my energy levels crashing like an old laptop with too many tabs open. We got home around 5:00 p.m., and after getting into some comfy clothes, I passed out. Woke up the next morning at 8:00 a.m. My body was like, “Girl, I’m done. You’re sleeping whether you like it or not.” Honestly, sometimes your body just waves the white flag and says, “That’s enough.”
The next few days, I was still dealing with stomach pain and the whole soft-bowel/constipation drama. My body couldn’t figure out which way it wanted to go. It’s like it was saying, “Let’s mix things up—keep her guessing!”
Another fun side effect? Feeling like I’m trapped in the Arctic. I was at work freezing, and no amount of layering was helping. Picture me in a sweater, winter coat, and standing next to a heater, still shivering like a chihuahua in a snowstorm. To top it off, I was so sleepy, I was nodding off mid-email. I’m pretty sure my boss noticed because, without saying it outright, he basically banned me from the office on days when I’m not 100%. So now, if I’m tired or sick, I have to stay home. How often is that? You know…just about every other day.
Wednesday brought lab results that were about as encouraging as a flat tire. My white blood cell count was a sad .73—too low for chemo. So, they pushed this week’s session to the end of my treatment cycle. The kicker? I had to inject Nivestym three times (Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday), which they warned me might cause bone pain. Boy, were they right.
Wednesday night at midnight, I woke up thinking my stomach was acting up again. Nope. This time, it was my lower back, hips, and pelvis, all screaming at once. I was hobbling around like Fred Sanford, trying to find some pain relief. After what felt like hours of shuffling, I finally managed to get comfortable enough to fall back asleep.
At this point, I feel like a walking pharmacy. I don’t know how much more my body can take, but we’re pushing through. I mean, who knew Comic Con and chemo would be the most thrilling duo in my life right now?
