Day 3 - so far so good

On Friday afternoon I got my first round of FEC. This is a combination of 3 drugs, 5-FU (a base analog), Epirubicin (an anticancer antibiotic - a DNA intercalating agent) and Cytoxan (a DNA alkylating agent). Basically they all damage the DNA, with the hopes that the cells that need to replicate their DNA will die and that most of those cells are the cancer cells. They each have their own side effects. For example one has a lifetime dose of Epirubicin that they can take because it is toxic to one's heart, another can cause bladder bleeding, nausea/vomiting etc. The blood cells counts (both white and red) are expected to fall around 10-14 days after infusion - well those cells DO divide frequently, don't they.

Well, right now it is Sunday afternoon and I am doing fine. I spent about half of yesterday in bed, on and off, and today I took a nap - I am not sure how long it has been, but it is mostly precautionary resting. I have been told that today (on day 3) I would feel the fatigue and possibly the nausea, and would feel not so great for a few days. I am sure that I am jinxing myself right now, but if it stays like this, it is not too bad :).

I am sure the medication I am taking is helping a lot. All of the $420 worth pills (Emend) are gone as of this morning. I am also taking Zofran in the morning and at night. And there are 3 more drugs sitting on my night stand if I need them.

Tomorrow early in the morning I will go back to the cancer center for the second dose of 5-FU.

In the morning we started setting up the trampoline that my family got the girls for their birthdays but was interrupted by a monsoon rain storm. I want to jump on the trampoline when it is done :)

I hope everyone's weekend was great,