This week marks closing one chapter in my cancer chemo treatments and lays the groundwork for opening a new chemo chapter in the next few weeks.

I have finished my first set of three chemotherapy injections. As I had been forewarned, this round of chemo is taking a while longer for me to bounce back from due to the cumulative effect chemo has on one’s body.

Today is chemo day #4. I am still feeling a bit nauseated and out of sorts. In the last two chemo cycles of chemo, today’s out of sorts day would have been day three. With each successive chemo cycle, one can expect to add another day to recovery, so after today’s out of sorts day, tomorrow should have me feeling better.

Three chemo treatments are now finished with the first phase of treatments. Three more are to come with a new cycle of chemo drugs. The next three cycles of chemo will be harder to endure as the injected cocktail will be harsher on my body than the first one.

I will be required to pre-medicate before treatment as the potency of Taxotere—my next chemo drug--has more side effects and possible allergic reaction than the first compound, so medication is used in advance to minimize complications.

The three cycles of the second chemotherapy drug will be hard on finger and toe nails, so I will be supplied with ice packs for my hands and feet to offset the possible loss of nails with treatment. As well, Taxotere can create painful side effects in joints and muscles, which is the side effect most cancer patients say is hardest to deal with in receiving this cancer-fighting drug.

I also met this week with my radiation oncologist who advised that I would need 16 rounds of targeted radiation for the last phase of aggressive breast cancer treatments.

The daily rounds of radiation will be 15 minutes each and will start six weeks after my last chemo cycle in November. I can expect to be in radiotherapy before Christmas this year and running into mid January. Supposedly the side effects are much lessened than those with chemotherapy, although I can expect some minor discomfort in the treatment area akin to sunburn.

Today also marks the start of the next round of Neupogen white cell count booster injections so that my chemotherapy can continue on schedule. By next Thursday, the injections will be over for this chemo cycle, so I am looking forward to not having to contend with muscle and joint pain for a few days when the needles are done.

As predicted, chemo is slowly starting to get tougher to get through. I am feeling a bit more fatigued than the last cycle, which I am told is a normal reaction. I feel a need to rest and sleep more.

As the chemotherapy continues to accumulate in my body, I am learning more about slowing down and listening to my body. I move on more slowly in my treatments and do so with Strength, Courage, and Determination.