Hi, just a quick note to let you know how it all went down...
My appointment was for 9am, and I was finished at about 1:30 I think. After some saline & pre-meds to control side effects, they took the actual chemo real easy this first time, and I guess they will next time too. The Taxotere (the "T" in the TC cocktail) can cause an allergic reaction and so they administer it slowly at first to look evidence of that.
I don't know why they call it a "cocktail," because they do not mix the beverages in the IV bags. First you get the Taxotere and then the Cytoxan. If I drank the vodka and then drank the kahlua, it would not be a Black Russian cocktail. It would be a couple of shooters.
I had no bad reaction. At all. The premeds did their job and the only side effect I can tell so far is a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I headed to the pool for between 1200 and 1500 meters (lost count, even in the 50 meter pool!), got Frida to the dog park for a LOVELY day, picked up Robin at a friend's, headed to the grocery store and then came home and sipped *a little* wine on the deck with Peggy before dinner! Busy day, but "staying active" is what the doctor ordered, and who am I to question the doctor's orders?
Other side effects could show up over the next few days, but within less than I week I should be in "recovery" mode (recovering my blood counts) so that by the end of the 21 days I'm ready to do it all over again.
Next up:
Hair cut: Friday, (w/ free shipping to Locks of Love. What a deal!)
Chemo #2: May 11 at 11am.
Columbia Olympic Distance Triathlon: May 22
So far, I have not noticed ANY performance enhancing effects of the TC cocktail. I will keep you posted on that.Dr. Mentzer: "You can definitely go for a podium spot."Me: "Well, then chemotherapy would have to make me a *better* athlete than I already am, 'cause in my best shape, that would be very unlikely!"
Love,
Diane
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