The Treatment

I was given ABVD treatment. I was told I would be having chemo for 6-8 months,but I hoped it would just be the 6. Chemo was tough but I had to get on with it. It was the only way I would get better. I quit college for the year.

My hair was slow to fall out but I was very concious of it. I didnt get a wig till near the end of my treatment though, and even then I only wore it a few times cause it made my head really itchy.

After a few months of chemo, I started feeling breathless. It got so bad that I could hardly breath and I was taken into hospital. At first they thought it was pneumonia, but later they realised that it was an allergic reaction to the bleomicin. They took me of it and put me on a high dose of steriods instead.

The steriods made me really bloated and I had mood swings. I put on a lot of weight, but they cleared up the damage done to my lungs from the bleamicin. After a few months I asked to be taken off them and the doctor agreed.

My veins had long since disapeared,so I had a PICC line insedted into my arm. I would advise everyone to get one of these. They might look funny, but you will be glad of them when they dont have to poke you about ten times to try and find a vein!!! I had to get mine removed a week before I was finished treatment because i got an infection in it.

After 8 months of chemo I was declared well again. I went on a holiday to celebrate. Now one year later im back in college and loving life.