Canada Chemotherapy Day

Canada Day coincided this year with my first chemotherapy session. I brought in a box of maple creme cookies to share with the nurses and fellow patients, who could not have been nicer. Overall, despite the strangeness, it was a good day. I didn’t react to any of the various medications and, writing this blip three days on, I have felt pretty good. I know the effects are likely to be stronger the longer the chemotherapy goes on, but I’m grateful to have had an easy introduction. 

I learned a new word today. A nurse came in with a bright yellow satchel and called my name. She met another nurse and handed over a large plastic bag of clear fluid from the satchel. On the satchel was written the word Cytotoxic. I looked it up and it means toxic to living cells. That’s chemotherapy. It attacks fast growing cells, which is what cancer is. It also attacks hair and nail cells, and red and white blood cells. It is also photosensitive so needs to have a sheath over it to protect it from light. It was weird to see the wonderfully kind nurse hook me up to this particular plastic bag. 

Primarily I will remember the kindness of the nurses, fellow patients and many, many friends. Thank you all.