April 11th was my second chemo and the first "full cocktail" mix of three drugs plus the anti nausea medication. Yuck, the taste that immediately pervades your senses is bitter like the inside of a peach pit and the awful taste seems to last until the next morning. But, at least I have not had and nausea. This chemo treatment was hard because they did more needle core biopsies this morning, five. I think I just might run away if we ever have to do any more of those. They are the most painful procedure for me. All the doctors seemed surprised the biopsies are so painful; I think I will suggest that they have to place a similar organ on the table beside me and let me pound on it during the procedure. ;-) Crying like a big old baby is not my finest moment and I don’t want to repeat it.
Nita was a champ, even on Sunday when the Marriott booked us into a room where a resident was already staying. Hey, we got a free steak dinner out of the deal, and that put us to bed on Sunday night ready to face the dragon.
The chemo took over 5 hours and I have to tell you it was scarier than it was hurtful. Each of the packets of chemo are hung on the pole with a “chaser” to insure that 100% of the drug gets used. One is even light sensitive and comes with a cover that I call chemo-shades to keep out all light. They do not mix the drugs until I am called back into my mini room and it took over an hour for all the meds to arrive. It is a little nerve wracking.
I gagged down half of a pb&j sandwich and some cold milk during the process, change rooms once so that the staff rotation can complete (Belen was my nurse and see is incredible). When we finish at 9:30pm Nita is pretty much bundling me in my binky and hanging on to me in the cab to prevent bumps and lunges. In the room, I make a nest in the middle of my queen bed, take my temp, take a sleeping pill and fall back exhausted. Nita jumps up several times to make sure my temp has not exceeded the 101.5 guideline. But all in all we have a decent night.
Since we able to cram all our appointments into Monday, we have Tuesday morning open. MDA wants me to stay in town at least 12 to 14 hours after this batch and we realize that getting a flight out before our previous 3pm reservation is not going to happen. So, hungry for fish and with time to kill, we take a cab over to the Aquarium. It was a nice hour spent looking at the tanks and then another hour having lunch. My fish tacos even came wrapped special.
OK, Chemo #2 down, 14 more to go.
April 12 & 13 – felt good, some slight fever, rash by Thursday and getting worse by the Weekend.
April 14 & 15 – worked from home where I spent most of the time on the couch with the dog toy pile growing around me again.
April 16 & 17 – Kelsey is having pre-labor and I am in a flurry making soup, pot roast and carnitas for freezing. Hopefully Evie will arrive before I leave Monday for Houston. My face is a zit factory! I wouldn’t mind so much but the darn things are painful. Guess the outside poison is going to my face and arms and the inside poison is going to the ulcers in my mouth and throat. Sipping on cold liquids seems to help.
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