October 31st marked my first chemotherapy infusion. They told me to plan for four to five hours, and it truly was a long day. The lab was scheduled for 7:30 in the morning, and with nearly an hour of travel, we were up early. Treatment began at 8:30 and started with education.
The process begins with pre-medications to help manage side effects. First comes Benadryl to prevent allergic reactions, followed by a steroid and anti nausea medications. Then they administer the immunotherapy drug Keytruda along with two chemotherapy drugs, Docetaxel and Carboplatin.
After the infusion, they placed a device on my arm to deliver Neulasta, a medication that helps my body produce white blood cells. This device is programmed to give the injection 24 hours after chemotherapy. In the past, this required a separate trip to the clinic the next day. Now, they send you home with a sharps container to dispose of the device once the injection is complete. While the device is active, it blinks green. Once the shot is delivered, it should turn solid green. If it turns red, that signals a problem and you must contact the oncology team and prepare to go into the clinic for the injection.
To help manage side effects, they prescribed anti-nausea medication and recommended several over-the-counter options for bone pain caused by the Neulasta injection. Since bone marrow produces white blood cells, this pain can be intense. The recommended regimen includes Loratadine 10 mg taken one hour before the shot, Famotidine 20 mg twice daily if not already on a stomach acid reducer, Naproxen 220 mg two tablets twice daily, or Tylenol 650 mg every four hours if Naproxen is not tolerated. This routine continues for up to five days depending on the level of discomfort.
Chemo session one is officially complete. I am experiencing some annoying side effects and am still healing from my port surgery, which has brought its own symptoms. I have a metallic taste in my mouth that makes some foods unpleasant or leaves an aftertaste. My appetite is low. I do not feel nauseated but I do have an upset stomach. I am prone to headaches and also have had achy joints are some of the symptoms I currently am dealing with. All things considered I am doing well, it could be worse.
November 10, 2025 Update
After feeling unwell over the weekend, I reached out to my oncology team. They advised me to head to the Weston emergency room, so we spent most of the day there. I was uncertain whether the issue was related to my port or something else entirely. I have had ongoing sinus problems, but this time I was experiencing pain near my port, as well as discomfort in my left shoulder and shoulder blade. I was also running a fever and had a rapid heartbeat.
The medical team performed lab work, cultures, and a CT scan to investigate possible causes such as infection, sepsis, or a blood clot. The CT scan revealed pneumonia.
The doctor presented two treatment options. The first was to be admitted to the hospital for intravenous antibiotics. The second was to receive the initial dose of antibiotics through IV in the emergency room, followed by prescriptions that I could take at home. I chose the second option, as I knew I would rest more comfortably in my own space.
Reflecting on my journey, I remember doing quite well during treatment 19 years ago and staying relatively healthy throughout. This time around, I am older, and that may be a factor, though I cannot say for certain. It feels like another small bump in the road, but we will keep moving forward.
Hey cuz , I’m thinking about you. Praying daily you get through this with no more bumps . Thank you for the updates . Love you
Love you Marcella! Thank you so much for prayers. You all are in my prayers as well. 🙏
Hey sis when you eat do you use plastic forks or spoons? I was talking with someone at the moment I can’t remember who but they said this helped the metallic taste. Just something I thought I would bring up. Love ya
The metallic taste is just always there, it is from the chemo/poison they are killing the cancer with. It just isn’t there when you eat, it is just always there, but then makes some food taste funny or gives it an after taste. If that makes sense. Also, it did last for a few days and then got a bit better before the next chemo. I am not sure if that pattern will continue or if it’ll get worse/longer with each chemo.
I can try the plastic but I do not think that has anything to do with it. Also some plastics are known to cause cancer, but I think they’d need to get overly hot and then the chemicals seep into the food you’re eating, so not sure plastic utensils are bad. But I do try to heat things in microwave in glass, not plastic.