Neulasta

This first cycle has been hard because each day I go to bed wondering what tomorrow will be like. Am I finally going to feel like crap? I hate not knowing, that's the hardest part!
24 hrs after chemo I get the Neulasta shot to help stimulate my bone marrow to produce more cells. This helps blood counts return faster and helps keep people out of the hospital while they are on chemo. One of the downsides is that it causes bone pain, for some it's severe and for others it's mild aches and pains. I was told I could take claritin before (they don't know how it helps but it greatly reduces the pain) or I could take pain meds. Because some people don't have much difficulty with the shot I decided not to take anything and simply see how this cycle goes. I hate taking so many drugs and I only want to take the ones I absolutely have to take. At first it wasn't too bad, my eyes hurt, had a headache, and my arms hurt. However, the second night was horrible and from now on, I'm taking the claritin. I've never experienced this type of pain before, it felt like my bones were having mini-explosions inside of them. I knew this was normal and so was hoping I could manage through.....ended up in finally taking some ibuprofen just to take the edge off so I could get some sleep. I don't know how people with bone cancers do it!

I've been cranky and tearful since chemo in part because my port site has been so sore. I haven't been able to move my left arm the way I want and I'm much slower at certain tasks. I understood there would be some discomfort for a day or two but yesterday, I was ready for the port to be taken out. Today, I'm doing better and have more range of motion to my arm so this is managable. I guess I need to be patient, I can't expect my body to heal so quickly on everything.

I hope I sleep tonight as I've been sleeping a lot throughout the day. My body still hurts so there isn't much I can actually do.....I just need the mind to shut off for a bit. Did I mention that I hate being a patient, I'm not good on this side of things!