chemo one

we started with lab work.

we continued with weight, and temperature. i ended up having a fever (100.1), but they decided it was because of me getting used to the port, and they hustled me on through.

i had morning questions with the doctor. i found out that the goal of my chemotherapy is to be cured....not to keep me alive....not to prolong the agony...but to be cured. i knew that, anyway, but it was good to hear again. and again. (especially when she said i had an excellent prognosis.)

my doctor helped so much to-day. she answered all my questions, knowing that the more i know, the more i believe. she fixed my prescription right away (one of my drugs got filled... and i only got 1 pill in a bottle, with no refills, rather than 30 pills, with five refills. meh. these things happened.) the best thing she did was give me hope... a hug...and the promise that she was praying for me.

she's the best doctor i've ever had.... and i shouldn't have to say that. i should have had many good doctors on my side. when i get my next primary doctor, i will not settle for someone close by....but find someone who will listen, and help.

sorry... i digress...

we went to the chemo room. there were several little areas with a comfy laz-y-boy, two chairs, and a spot to put your stuff down on. oh, and the iv stand, as well. guess what? there were lots of windows, and lots of light. i was told i was going to be there all day. (that didn't bug me because i was already prepared for it.)

when they accessed my port, the nurse told me to take a deep breath, and that she was going to push against my chest. i think she was trying to get me to brace myself. i didn't feel a thing. the nurse was momentarily surprised, because she knows i've only had the port in for a few days. (and, truth be told, it doesn't look good...there's a bruise near the incision, and i still have the gauze tape on it.) luckily, i had done what they told me, and put the numbing medication on my port, and put a ziploc on top of that. (the closest thing i could get to "saran wrap."

then, they started the procedure..... (well, in actuality, i started the procedure in the morning, when i took my prednisone, and morning nausea pill before i came in.)


here is what they gave me:

a drug for nausea (i didn't hear the name)

benadrylj (for allergic reaction)...this gave me nervous legs. (a common occurrence) i walked around, and took pictures of the view, and that seemed to help a lot....the stretching, and all.

adriamycin (you eat ice with it, to prevent mouth sores. this drug is pushed through physically by a nurse) this is a good drug, used since the 1940's because it does what it's supposed to) there are four vials of this. (this is also the drug that makes the urine red.)

an hour of cyclophosphamide

two tylenol (for fever, just in case.... and aches)

then they check my vitals.... my temperature went down to 96.8! yay! my blood pressure was 104/58 with a 76 heart rate. it's wild to hear it be so low....but the nurse practitioner didn't seem to mind it...

rituxan (it ends up that this is made up of some mouse antibodies... and the benadryl will help against any allergies to the mouse.) they give it slow, to make sure i don't have any allergic reactions.

the benadryl finally kicked in, and i was snoozing for a-while. i also got to eat all my sandwich, which was a bad move. (i felt over-full... need to pace myself when it comes to food.)

my vitals get checked every 30 minutes... and once the top number was 76! the nurse said my heart rate was good, and i had no fever, but he made me sit up because i was maybe a bit... too relaxed... waking me up more gave me a better blood pressure of 103/61. (he said all was ok.... that that was what happened after a good rest. well, at least i know i can relax in odd situations...)

another time, with a different nurse, it was 96/60, but she didn't seem at all concerned. i don't know me anymore.... i can't even tell when i have a fever.

the last drug (the rituxan) went faster than the nurses thought it would. i got out an hour and a half sooner than i was quoted. i feel ...out of myself....and i would feel a lot better if i hadn't eaten that whole sandwich... (sorry, i repeat myself a lot... i did get nauseous, but a chewy candy called gin-gin helped a lot, as well as some peppermint tea.) but i have optimism, you know? if i hold still, do what they tell me, keep on top of the symptoms, and smile inside i'm sure to get better fast.

i miss me, but if this is a taste of what i'm in store of.... i'm not too far away.

here's hoping....