The day after

This was supposed to come after posts talking about the expected side effects and silver linings of this whole situation. But since those are more informative/descriptive, rather than emotive, I can write them later.

The day after was yesterday, 20.02.26. That is, the day after the first round of treatment. As I hinted at the end of the first post, I had an allergic reaction to the chemo that required emergency assistance. I will write the details in its own post.

After the situation got under control, everything else went well. I rested, and when the treatment finished, I was asked if I had anyone pick me up. I would not have been allowed to drive home because I had antihistamines in my system. But I felt strong enough to take public transport home by myself.

Someone living in Sweden told me I was courageous and that next time I should take a taxi if the hospital doesn't offer other options. I still need to figure out all the small perks that being a cancer patient offers.

Today (21.02.26), after I received my immunity-boosting injection, I sat in the waiting room and waited to see if it had any adverse effects. The wall was filled with pamphlets on what is available to us.

But the day after was nothing out of the ordinary. As I wrote in another post, I had another MRI in the morning to check the thing in my hip. Then I went home and worked normally in the afternoon. With more energy than I've had in weeks.

I am having a tingling feeling in my hands. I called them about it. They have around-the-clock lines to address any concern. It's one of the symptoms they told me to expect. They assured me that it's fine. I have heavy medicine coursing through my veins. I just had to move my hands to improve circulation.

I am also feeling that the hands are drier. The nails are expected to chip. I was advised to buy a nail care kit, which I did. I have started to moisturise more, my hands.

These are the small things I can control...

What I cannot control is the rain after the snow, which leaves the streets icy and dangerous to walk on. But I can still appreciate the sun and the quiet of a Saturday at the hospital.