One of my young buddies wrote a comic strip for me. Captain chemo goes to battle against the Lob Monster. It lightened my heart as I walked into the Chemo room.
We met with Dr. Joe and it was kind of routine. He just went over the side effects and what to expect these next three weeks. Then he declared me healthy enough to have chemo. Well yay me.
We met with Dr. Joe and it was kind of routine. He just went over the side effects and what to expect these next three weeks. Then he declared me healthy enough to have chemo. Well yay me.
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| Faces have been altered to shield identities |
August 20, 2010
Welcome to the Chemo Clinic.
The clinic isn't sterile looking but with all the IV poles and such, it's obvious this isn't a normal waiting The chairs are a kind of vinyl, not comforting in the least. It does recline but there's nothing homey about the room. The room is divided in two sides with three bays. In each bay there's about 7 of these recliners.
I'm really anxious. I'm ready to get on with this, but there is apprehension and the fear of the unknown. How bad is going to get? How much support am I really going to get. How is my husband going to be able to handle his job, the house and whatever I throw at him or throw UP at him. sigh
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The nurse told me to find a seat. I immediately chose the chair with the chocolate IV. Lord knows I might need some chocolate to get me through this. With more thought, the idea of chocolate kind of makes me feel ill. Maybe I should have chose the IV pole with the Jack Daniels bottle.
More quickly than I'm ready, the nurse is there to access my new tender port. I didn't use the Emla Cream as I'd considered. I told the nurse to please use the "freezie spray when she accessed the port. She sprays and has me accessed before I even flinch. I LOVE that spray!! They have a bag of saline, and they start with the med Aloxi and the Dexamethasone. The Dex is a steroid. It is used to lessen my risk of allergic reaction to the chemo and to increase urine output. I have already been peeing like a cow from the oral steroids I started yesterday. I should be all pruney with my output. The Aloxi is a medication I'm very happy for...it's a long acting anti-emetic. It's supposed to work for 5 days.
The nurse brings over my chemo bags and confirms my name and date of birth. She hangs the Cytoxin and the Taxotere. And it's on.
The nurse brings over my chemo bags and confirms my name and date of birth. She hangs the Cytoxin and the Taxotere. And it's on.
4 hours later, it's over. I've had to pee about a half dozen times, but haven't had any complications. Oddly enough, I'm hungry and my love wants to take me to Cracker Barrel. I have been warned by the nurses not to go crazy with food....I think I'll stick to Chicken & Dumplings.
Still feeling okay, but my face is BRIGHT red and HOT. My husband keep asking how I feel. I obviously have the classic steroid "butterfly" rash.
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| This photo is from my second chemo infusion. Showing the "steroid" rash. |
Something's happening. I don't feel well, I'm aching all over. I'm going to bed.
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