[Erin]

Annie,

I don't want to be negative, but I am a big fan of being armed with info. so I will be pretty frank.

My first 3 rounds were pretty good..not easy, but doable as they say, but a little worse each time. Chemo-day (day 1) was fine, as were day 2and 3. Day 4 I started to feel it. Tired, lots of chemo-brain problems. I was up and moving around, but taking it easy, watered the garden but didn't weed, went on a stoll instead of a power walk, took the elevator at work....you get the picture. Not too bad. By about day 8 I was really pretty much back to myself.

I am just past my 4th round and felt pretty bad on days 4 through 7. Took 1 and 1/2 days off work...and really shouldn't have gone in that half day. This round is markedly worse for me. Profound fatigue, horrible diarrehea, that terrible disconnected, spacey chemo-brain feeling. This day 8 and I still feel like sh*t.

The oddly good news is the day I start to feel better I begin to get a serious dose of euphoria. Just soooooooo grateful that the worst is over, and I made it through another one. I know that next week will be grand, even though I am not truly back to myself, I feel so much better that I am on top of the world...Wierd,huh?

I will say what others have said....it sucks, but you can do it. Be good to yourself, allow others to help you, take it easy, and don't be a hero about the meds. Use what they give you and if you need something else, ask for it.

Best of luck :-)