Stage 2A Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and Doxorubicin (aka the red devil): My experience with chemotherapy in Dubai

By Lauren O’Connell

My hair was thinning out and I was feeling pretty defeated during my third infusion of the red devil.

From the moment I was diagnosed to the end of my chemo, I only shared the news with close friends, family, and a few colleagues. I wanted to keep my breast cancer journey off social media while I was going through surgeries and treatment. I needed to focus solely on myself. To me, breast cancer felt like a spiritual and soulful journey. Although I had been very active on social media before the diagnosis, it was time for me to nurture myself, focus on healing, and embark on a path of self-discovery. I decided to wait until I was done with chemo before sharing my news.

During my first session of doxorubicin, I had no idea what to expect.

It was the right decision because chemo was no walk in the park! My first four doses were spread over two months, and I was on the infamous "red devil," the toughest chemotherapy for breast cancer. When I saw the bright red medication flowing through the tubing, about to enter my body, I thought, “How can this possibly be happening?”.

My once clear complexion quickly became covered with hyperpigmentation.

I opted to get my chemotherapy in Dubai for the same reason as my surgeries. I had a fabulous medical team and the facilities at the Mediclinic Hospitals were state-of-the-art. I had my own private room at both hospitals (I did my four red devil infusions at City Hospital then moved to Parkview for paclitaxol because it was closer to home.).

Most days, I wore comfy clothes and rested. When I shaved my head, I wore beanies constantly because my head would get so cold!

The side effects of the red devil were brutal. I was constantly nauseous, fatigued, and extremely bloated. My head and body ached terribly, and at one point, my hips felt like they belonged to a 90-year-old. My skin erupted in hyperpigmentation spots, and I had to give myself injections with a thick needle for five consecutive days after each round to boost my white blood cell count. The weight gain was a real kicker, too—I wasn’t overeating, but the pounds just piled on. At one point, I told my husband I couldn’t go on, and he delivered the best motivational speech ever, reminding me of my strength and resilience.

Four rounds of the red devil were TOUGH! But, I got through it.

I finished my four rounds of the red devil feeling low and demoralized. My body felt like it was filled with wet cement; everything from sipping water to walking to the hospital took immense effort. I told my oncologist that I was pretty sure I’d die if I had one more dose of the red devil. During the two months of infusions (I went to the clinic once every two weeks), I avoided public places because my immunity was so low. I missed my life—attending beauty events, socializing with friends, and being active.

I try to focus on the positives in life, and although my situation was pretty dire, I did find that being home throughout my treatment was nice. I naturally like to be busy, and chemo forced me to come to a complete halt. I had more time with my family, and my kids loved having me home all the time, even if I was in bed for most of it! I felt fortunate to have so many family members and friends checking in on me. Plus, I heard that the next type of chemo in my treatment plan, Taxol, was a lot easier to tolerate. It seemed like life would be getting easier. My fingers were crossed that was true!