So I know it's been since my 2nd treatment that I updated but honestly not too much has happened :) Every day is pretty much the same considering I am not working at the moment which is making me stir crazy but then again with this so called "Polar Vortex" and 30 below temps I'm just fine sitting at home only going to the mailbox. The 3 weeks between treatments were a little worse between this 2nd and 3rd treatment compared to the 3 weeks between the 1st and 2nd treatments. I had more nausea, less energy and man have I been tired. I haven't really been sleeping at night so I try to keep myself up during the day so that I can sleep at night but I might get 3-4 hours of decent sleep at night but those aren't consecutive hours. So anyway, yesterday was Chemo #3! After yesterdays treatment I am now halfway to the end, it is in sight!! My appointment was at 1:00 so Ryan picked me up at noon and we were off. Now, I don't know why but I always feel anxious or nervous before chemo. Maybe that's weird I don't know, it's just the reaction I have. We made a quick stop at Jimmy Johns because we were both starving and the small snack size pretzels and peanut butter crackers at the Cancer Center just weren't going to cut it. We arrived at the Cancer Center and I was surprised that there were only about 6 other people waiting. Normally on Fridays when I have my appointment you can hardly find a seat in the waiting area. I don't know if it was the weather or what but of course I thought "maybe I will actually go back on time." Haha, that's funny, wishful thinking!! It was 1:30 before they called me back. Ryan and I were about to eat our arms off we were so hungry and I just knew that as soon as we pulled our food out they would call me back. Maybe that is what we should have done because then maybe I would have gotten called back sooner. Oh well. Last time I was there they gave me a script for Lidocaine cream to put on my skin over my port to numb it so that I can't feel the needle when they insert it. I applied it an hour before I left then I put a little bit more on when I got to the Cancer Center for good measure. I wanted to make sure I was good and numb because the skin there right below your collar bone is tender. So anyway, I went back and this time I wasn't in a room I was behind 2 curtains but it wasn't too bad. Of course I could here the other patient behind me snoring. My nurse came in and we put on our beautiful masks that we have to wear when they access my port and she stuck me and I was NUMB!! Yay, it worked :) With no issues she was able to draw my blood. She did that and then we waited because it takes an hour to get your labs back to make sure you are able to have chemo. The NP came in and we first talked about the side effects I had this time and she explained to me that each time will probably be worse because the chemo is cumulative. We tweaked my meds a bit hoping it will help so I'm crossing my fingers. She also gave me some Ambien to help me sleep because lord knows I have tried every over the counter med there is that would normally work and NOTHING, I mean NOTHING worked. I got my Ambien today and am looking forward to bed so that maybe I can get some GOOD sleep. She also told me my Potassium is low so she prescribed me a Potassium pill to take twice a day and of course it is a HUGE horse pill, yippee!! I'll be cutting that sucker in half for sure otherwise I think Ryan will have to learn how to do the heimlich! Secondly we talked about work. She explained to me that because of the work I do, which is working with children who are germ carriers and with having no immune system they don't think it is wise so she said they were not planning on releasing me until two weeks after my last treatment is complete which would put me back at work April 14th. I will definitely be more than ready to return to normal life by then. Shoot, what am I saying, I'm ready to return to normal life now but I will just have to be patient, something I am learning to be especially since it is not one of my virtues. After waiting an hour we finally got the first drug started, the Aloxi which is for nausea and is supposed to last 3 days in my system and the "ants in your pants" steroid Decadron. This ran for about 30 minutes. When that was complete the first chemo drug, Cytoxan was started. It ran for 30 minutes as well then I had to wait another 30 minutes after it was done before they could begin the second chemo med, Taxotere which ran 1 hour. Needless to say we were at the Cancer Center from 1:00 to 6:30. We closed the center down! They were already filling out the dry erase boards with Monday's date! While receiving my treatment, I had told them that I heard they had a drawer of scarves and they confirmed that and told me to help myself. So, I unplugged my friend the IV pole and Ryan and I went to raid the drawer. There weren't any scarves but there were a few toboggans so I got 3 new crocheted toboggans in colors I don't have. They told me that people make them specifically for cancer patients which is so nice especially when it is colder than the North Pole outside. Nothing too exciting happened during chemo so afterwards, we put on our pretty masks again for my nurse to de-access my port and I was on my way. I normally feel pretty good after chemo because of the steroids I take the day before and they steroid they give me IV push before chemo so Ryan and I usually try to run some errands and go to dinner which is exactly what we did last night :) My 4th treatment is scheduled for February 14th, yes, Valentine's Day! At least I will feel good or at least should so we can still go to dinner and celebrate afterwards. Not to mention I will be able to spend all afternoon with my Valentine during chemo!
Chemo #3...check!!
Everything that happens and every side effect I have, my nurse always tells me...
No comments:
Post a Comment