Chemotherapy: No major issues overnight from the Cisplatin/Premetrexed drug combo except for needing to pee every couple of hours and feeling like I had had 10 cups of coffee before going bed. The mild side effects continue (i) the feeling that someone is gently squeezing my stomach; (ii) a slight headache that is more like a feeling of pressure behind my eyes and at the base of my skull; (iii) and tiredness of the ready to sleep type, I wouldn’t say that it is fatigue yet. No nausea or metallic taste in mouth. Well, not yet.
Radiation: No perceived impacts of radiation session 1. The second radiation session took less time, about 30 minutes on the table. The treatment is given with lungs not moving which is achieved by breathing in and holding my breath. Holding the breath temporarily stops lungs moving as we breathe in and out. Holding the breath keeps the tissue being treated still and in focus to get the full impact of the targeted beam of radiation. It also minimises damage to other normal tissue nearby that would get hit if the lungs were moving. I learned that my breathing rate is slower than the average person (“Have you done a lot of meditation?”). That meant that I needed to take in air faster before holding breath. The technicians and I found a way for them to let me know when I had enough air in my lungs to hold my breath (30 seconds).
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