I have now completed 3 rounds of the Capecitabine (also known as Xeloda)
I should be into my 4th round but I had to take an extra week off because the side effects really got hold of me. The Hands and Feet Syndrome (HAFS) got quite bad when we were on holiday in the ‘off’ week of cycle. My feet and hands were really sore making it difficult to walk but fortunately it wasn’t too far to the restaurant and it provided a great excuse to buy new shoes! It also got to my digestive system and my mouth, so no spicy food ☹️ and no trips too far from the conveniences! Swimming in the pool and sea was a fabulous release from the soreness and of course, being cosseted by my fabulous family (we went with Dad,Chris, Bryony, Christopher and Amelie) made for a really relaxing and restorative week.
I began the third cycle of treatment on the last day of our holiday and braced myself for the onslaught!
At the end of the first cycle my markers had remained the same as the previous blood test, at 58.2. That was the first time they hadn’t increased since February so although it was too early to really tell, I knew it was having an impact on the tumour activity. I had the next blood test on Monday November 6th. I spoke to Pip my oncology nurse on the Thursday, one week into cycle 3, she told me that my liver and kidney functions were still good and that my markers had dropped! After 2 cycles it had dropped to 41.2 – amazing!
Mum and Richie had come to house sit and look after Dude while we were away and they stayed on with us for a few days so that we could spend some time together which was lovely. Mum found some amazing and cheap insoles that are just a thin piece of memory foam. They are perfect as they don’t have a layer of fabric and my feet have been so sensitive that the threads of even the softest socks were irritating me. Needless to say, I now have a stash of said insoles – I even have them in my slippers and I only wear socks after I’ve put lashings of cream on my feet. I have also invested in a multi pack of cotton gloves to do the same for my hands. It’s a great look! I’m doing it three times a day now, after my morning shower, when I have my afternoon nap and when I go to bed and it’s really helping.
When I went to the hospital last Thursday I had my bone treatment and then I met with Dr Alexander. She wanted me to get better before I start the next round and I have to admit I was really relieved. What made it even better was that my markers had dropped again and I’m already back in the normal zone at 33.8 😁 she has also reduced the dose going forward. That has really helped me mentally; I know that this drug has the potential to be a long-term defence against my cancer but I honestly could not imagine living with these side effects for any amount of time. At the end of cycle 3 I basically spent 3 days on the sofa with my feet up, for almost two weeks I was unable to do any craft or cooking, having to get Phil to cut up my food and the most surprising thing was my loss of appetite (shock horror!!). I have lost half a stone since starting this drug and although I have plenty to go, it’s not really part of the plan at the moment.
I did need the extra week for recovery though, the swelling in my hands has gone down and my feet feel almost normal! My hands are still quite sensitive; the dead, dried skin is peeling off but it looks worse than it really is! I’ll pop some pics below! I have now got my appetite back so nothing is safe in the fridge!
I did manage to do a couple of special Laughter Yoga sessions. The first was at the big C – they had an open day and 40 people joined me in a short session which was amazing and then to crown it all, I got to do a session with the nurses on the Weybourne unit (where all the chemo and bone treatments are administered). It was just amazing to be able to give something back ❤️
As always, thank you all for your unerring love and support
Talk to you soon
Lots of love Mand xxx
Fat fingers!
Peeling skin…. no fingerprints again!
Happy graph!