Rob's story: chemotherapy BEP
Friday 13th, unlucky for some!
This was the day it was confirmed to me that I needed nine
weeks of chemotherapy. It was also the day I realised it was
something serious, as I wasn't put on a waiting list or anything
like that, I was told to be in hospital first thing on Monday
morning to start the treatment! As it turned out I could have had a
'lie in' as I didn't actually get 'hooked up' until about 4pm
(apparently this is unusual, 1pm/2pm is what the nurse told me was
normal). Waiting was a little on the weird side just lying around,
but at the same time better than being sat in a stuffy office. I
think from memory I managed to bag 2 hour's kip!
Once you get hooked up it's a bit of a weird feeling having
something flowing into your hand but you soon get used to it! The
most annoying bit is the fact because they didn't get me plugged in
until late in the afternoon it meant that I was unlikely to get a
good nights sleep as I was due to be plugged in for about 11 hours!
As it turned out I was never going to get a good nights sleep
because they are pumping so much liquid into you need to make
constant trips the toilet and that is a right chore especially as
you have to drag the machine with you - and after 30 seconds it
used to beep like mad because it'd been unplugged from the
mains.
I'd heard stories that I was going to be chucking up left, right
and centre due to the chemotherapy - but in all honesty during the
whole nine weeks I was sick once and that I believe was due to a
dodgy curry I made rather than the treatment. The staff were great
but the hospital food made me feel sick and I used to get out for
lunch when possible or get mate to bring a baguette in.
I suppose, in summary, get yourself ready to do a lot of lying
around waiting...
Looking back at the treatment I can honestly say it wasn't a bad
experience, the people who worked on the ward did all they could to
make me feel comfortable.
