I noted the post by the lady who had an allergic reaction to her chemo. Well, I too had a bad experience soon after the paclitaxel treatment was started. I quickly felt I was like a catherine wheel firework pinned on a stick (yes!) whizzing round and round so fast it made me dizzy and darkness moved in and I was blacking out, but then suddenly my inner body felt consumed by fire, as if it were a furiously burning furnace, and my heart was palpitating like the clappers...luckily a nurse was nearby and noted my face had gone beetroot red, and came to my rescue. I think she stopped the drip and put some kind of antidote in. I hadn't lost consciousness, but almost. I could hear myself saying, 'Oh, no, oh no, oh no"
Gradually I came to, and felt a bit better, and the nurse sat with me until I was normal, and then said she would begin the paclitaxel up again, but it should be okay. I asked her to stay with me, in case the reaction started up again, but it was fine, and nothing else bad happened. After that was finished, I went onto the carboplatin drip and that was fine too. This was two days ago, and up to now I have felt fine with no nasty symptoms, just a little tired, though I was well enough to go outside and do a little raking up in the garden - foolish really, as I had a major op on Dec. 3rd - ovarian cancer that had spread and have a huge scar from under my boobs to my pubes - but I reckon a little exercise is necessary, though perhaps raking not the best!
I do feel that talking and writing about your cancer and your experiences can be of great help to others in a similar position. 'Cancer' is such a dirty word. It frightens people. There is such a horrid air of mystery/doom about it - people avoid talking to you as they don't know what to say.
I post regular Facebook accounts - as funny as possible - to educate others as to what I am going through. I have found it is not as bad as the silence about cancer indicates, but I am still in the early stages. I hope for a cure, but there is the possibility/probabilty it will return, but I figure death might find another way to surprise me and I might topple over with a heart attack in the garden, or perhaps a run-away horse might fell me in his frightened frenzy. There is no point worrying - just get through what you have to with a positive attitude and trust that things go well for you.
