I told Mike over the weekend that I feel completely and totally disconnected to the world (and people) around me this last week. So, for those of you whom I’ve been slighting, I apologize now. I’ve been in a bit of a Tizzy tizzy this week. Last Tuesday, I was in a stress induced fog. I didn’t even realize I was that worried, until I realized I was just aimlessly going about my chores and couldn’t really concentrate or get anything important done. I’ve tried to downplay the treatments so much, that I suppose I was trying to convince myself that it didn’t matter all that much too. The following will probably be a boring account to most of you, but I just wanted to get down some of the info so I don’t forget the sequence of events this time. Some stuff got a little twisted with time after the first time two years ago. Also, I might be posting with notes on my side effects and food consumption. It should be self explanatory as I go along.
As all important days go, we woke to an impromptu ice storm, which just proved to be one more aggravation in the mix. Mike got me up to the hospital as easily as we could, without going too fast in the crap-mix of weather conditions. I was supposed to be there at about 9:45, but we got there about half an hour late. It really wasn’t too big of a deal, as they are fairly laid back in the “time” department. I had my blood and stats checked. We had a brief but detailed appointment with the Oncologist who toyed with holding me back a week or so because I’ve been sick with the head/chest cold from hell. However, since I didn’t seem to have an ear infection and even though I’ve been hacking shit out of my head, he said my lungs sounded fairly clear. So I convinced him that since I was there, I should go ahead and start. (Once my head is in the game, I have to act on it. Otherwise I would be psyched out.) We checked in with his office staff to set up most of my remaining appointments for the next few months and get some work papers for Mike signed. He’s eligible for FMLA time when he takes me to appointments, as long as the office signs some forms and faxes them over to his work.
Then we went over to the infusion center side of the cancer center. I swear the staff there rocks. They all now all the patients by name and try their best to make you feel as comfortable as possible. They truly are a great bunch of employees. We waited a bit and were finally called in to an infusion room. They have private rooms with a recliner for the patient and another chair for their guest. There is a TV, radio and DVD player for you entertainment. Because once you settle in, you’re usually there for a while.
My oncology nurse came in to set me up and went over all the lurid details of the treatment, including all the wonderful side-effects that I could potentially expect in the short and long term. The first they do is tap my porto-cath with an IV needle and drew more blood. She hooked me up with a steroid drip, an anti-nausea drip and some lovely Benadryl drip (just in case I had a major allergic reaction to the chemo drugs – lovely huh?). She said the Benadryl might make me a little drowsy. LMAO! Understatement. Within 10 minutes I was cross-eyed and slurring my words. Those meds take 30 minutes to empty into my body, and then I have to wait another 30 whilst twiddling my thumbs just to let it all soak in good. Then the good stuff comes out and I get to sit and it drips for about 3 hours (figure one hour per week of my cycle). During which time, I proceeded to knock out and sleep for about 2 hours. Mike was watching a movie and dozing himself I believe. Somewhere in there I had some lunch, and when I woke from my nap I was hungry again. So Mike went down to the cafeteria and got two desserts for us to share. WRONG move. The sugar and the chemo apparently didn’t like one another and I was immediately nauseous. We rang the nurse who hooked me up with yet another drip bag of some nice anti-nausea meds. The last thing they want is you yakking while hooked up. At the end of the three hours, I got the second of the two chemo drugs which only takes about 30 minutes. The day dragged on probably about as long as this post probably seems about now. I was tired and beat.
Mike was concerned because he was scheduled to work that night, but I told him I wasn’t going to need him, so he went ahead in to the store. He said good-bye and I promptly fell asleep until 10:30 when my Mom called to check up on me. Of course, then I was up until about 3:00 am!
Physical Side-effects for Thursday: I wasn’t too bad, except that I was still tired and dozing on and off and noticed that I had a decrease in appetite.
Notes to self on food for Thursday:
I ate about 5 chicken nuggets (forced them down around 3:30 as I hadn’t had any appetite all day). They made me nauseous.
I made some ditallini with peas and a light tomato sauce for myself in the evening and, I ate about 3/4 of a bowl. Would’ve been fine eating just half, but I knew I needed to put something in me.
The next round will be in 3 weeks and will take approximately the same schedule. After that I think they will be about 30 minutes shorter.
Sounds like hell, Terry. I know I’d be hatin’ it. But it’s for the greater good. Kick the disease’s ass!
Hell? Nah, It’s more like heck. lol
I have to say that the process is easier than I thought it would ever be. I definately don’t enjoy it. However, I feel blessed that chemo has come far in the years since it was truly a hellish nightmare to undergo. I feel true sorrow for the people who have a harder time than I have had. I feel I’ve been lucky. The prayers of all my peeps (both near and far) must most definately be to my benefit.