Hubby needed 8 cycles. Each cycle lasted for three weeks. Hence chemotherapy lasted for nearly six months from April 2013 to October 2013.
On the first day of each new cycle he attended the day unit where Oxaliplatin was administered through a cannula. The entire procedure used to take 3 hours (can't remember well). Then for the two weeks hubby would take capecitabine tablets. Then the last week was drug free. Apparently, the recovery period.
Now that its three months since chemotherapy ended as I write the post I have forgotten a lot of details. So the post will only be a summary . Also, me being a carer writing this post can only describe only very little of the reality.
May Allah give strength and patience to all believers who are undergoing this trial.
- We were advised that the first cycle will be manageable, then succeeding ones would be difficult and the last few ones will be tolerated better than the ones preceding it. For us, this turned out pretty much true.
- The Oxaliplatin (cannula administered) caused noticeable side effects. The effects could be noticed just as hubby was still being administered. One of it was the increased sensitivity to cold temperatures. The effect of this drug usually increased until the third day and then it slowly weared off. I remember how hubby would be completely down for the first 5 to 7 days so much so that he wouldn't interact except a little. All thanks to Allah, after this period, he would come and spent time with the family. This gave me so much relief to see him interact with me and kids. Because seeing how much tiredness he would sink into in each cycle, I would worry whether I would get his normal self back. All thanks to Allah for bringing us out from such pain.
- Change in taste was another noticeable effect. During the initial cycles, i was experimenting with what he could tolerate. Personally I felt that just as tiredness peaks during the third day, the taste sense also show some intolerance. I will share some food that my hubby seemed to tolerate. Most of the readers won't recognize all the food items as some of them are South Indian dishes.
◇Toast
◇Green Tea with Honey
◇Cucumber-Tomato Salad (Salt and Vinegar)
◇Pathiri(Rice Pancake) and Fresh Coconut Milk
◇idiyapam and chicken gravy
◇Appam and Potato Stew
◇Chicken Soup
◇Grapefruit/Orange with Salt sprinkled
◇Pomegranate
- Lollies helped to keep the distaste away from the tongue. We used to alternate it with Pomegranate which he would pop in one by one as a healthier option. Usually the taste gets better as the Oxaliplatin wears off.
- We had couple of Emergency trips. One because he was severely dehydrated as he couldn't tolerate any food. Another one was for a sudden vertigo attack causing severe vomiting just as he was about to go for work.
- The first week of cycle he rested at home and most of the days of the next two weeks he worked. All Thanks to Allah. He being the sole breadwinner got me worried so many times whether his job would be in danger. Often, my hubby would remind me that the sustenance is from Allah. We should strive to preserve the rights of Allah and worship Him more and Allah will suffice us. May Allah protect my hubby and reward him bountifully for continuing working hard during his tiring phase for the sake of our family.
- We were told that the seventh day post-chemo is the time hubby would be least immuned to common diseases. So we scheduled shopping and outdoor trips accordingly. A few days before a new cycle started we stocked up on milk, veggies and other stuff so we had enough supplies to last through that cycle.
- One time his chemo was postponed due to flu.
- After the Oxaliplatin was introduced at the beginning of each cycle, he would get constipated for two days. So coloxy-senna was taken once during eachof the cycles.
- Apart from the conventional treatment, hubby took Aloe Vera (home grown), black seed and honey. Black seed is recommended by Prophet Muhammad ( peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him ) and the benefits of Honey is emphasized in the Qur'an.
- As we are Muslims, we are obliged to pray five times daily at prescribed times.During the initial week when he gets completely fatigued, he used to join the prayers as per the regulations in Islam. Because difficulty caused by sickness is one of the excuses which make it permissible to join prayers.
This is all I can recollect from those days. If I remember anything else that may benefit others I will come back and fill in. God Willing.
May Allah protect all of the believers. Indeed the greatest calamity is to not have Islam in our life. Because if we don't recognize our Creator and understand the purpose why we were created! Then there is no loss greater than that.
And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). (Qur'an 51:66)
The Prophet Muhammad ( peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him ) said “Allaah has shared out your attitudes among you just as He has shared out your provisions. Allaah gives worldly provision to those whom He loves and those whom He does not love, but He gives religion only to those whom He loves. So whoever is given religion, Allaah loves him…” (Narrated by Ahmad)
The Prophet Muhammad ( peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him ) said “A man will be tested according to the level of his religious commitment, and the trials will keep affecting a slave of Allaah until he is left walking on the face of the earth with no burden of sin whatsoever.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 4013)
All thanks to Allah for guiding us to Islam. May Allah enable us, our children and the believers to stay away from ingratitude and disobedience.
May Allah be Merciful to us on the Day of Resurrection and enter us to Paradise.
