Getting ready to go to Houston on Monday was it's own adventure. Southwest had it's on problems with fuselage rips and grounded plans and Libby turned up sicky poo. So I called in the troops and they responded with a private plane to try to get my sister Nita and I to Houston. God Bless Tony, he may be my ex, but he is a good ex to have. Around 2 am the winds started gusting to 50 miles an hour and it began to look like no amount of dramamine would do it's job for Nita and I to be able to handle flying in a small plane. Luckily for us, at seven am the news announced that SWA flights were flying so we rebooked, again, and finally Nita and I were up and on the plane to Houston.
I have angels everywhere. Nita leaves work to come with me, Tony jumps thru hoops to try and help, and all the prayers. Every helping caring soul helps make this burden a little lighter.
We arrived at the Crown Plaza hotel to check into our room and then report to the Mays Clinic for my 3:00pm appointment. What a mess, this is the last day of the basketball "FINAL Four" and the hotel is packed with rowdy college students with bad manners. Oh, joy! We get on over to the clinic in plenty of time to visit with Charla and also let Pam, the NP, give me a once over. This gives me time to introduce Nita to most of the team. Everywhere you move, blood pressure and temperature are checked and so is my weight. It's that flashing weight thing that makes me crazy!
On we move to the 8th floor for Chemo. The chemo floor is very quite this afternoon, we kill time showing Nita how to play "angry birds". Listening to her giggle and laugh at this game is very therapeutic for me. ;-) It also helps that having her not be able to get past level seven either makes me feel better. Hell, just having her close reminds me of all the times we had as kids as our only company. She is much better company now, OK, well, maybe I am too. LOL
Chemo was interesting, they moved me into a little room where looking out from the bed to the rest of the room makes you feel like you are in a nice hotel room. Of course, if you look down or over your shoulder, its a very up to date hospital room with all kinds of poles and bags and monitors. I just can't make myself look when the nurse puts that god awful looking thing in my arm, and although it stings (a lot) he really does a good job. He checks, rechecks, and confirms (hey, maybe he is related to Dr. Seger) that my band and my drug bags match, even has me confirm them too. Man these guys are good. He hooks me up, Nita's face is squishing up so hard from time to time that I am worrying about her face freezing that way or having wrinkles. The nurse let's me know that he will be in every 15 minutes to check on me and my PB while during the chemo.
Hmmm, the whole thing is beginning to sink in. This is no longer just tests and a little poking around with needles. It's the real deal, I have cancer. Whew, I feel fine, mostly. The bad boobie weighs about double the right one and looks funny, but it's not as painful anymore. Oh right, that could be the drugs. ;-) But this other weight on my chest is not from any physical symptom. I start taking a few deep breaths, I've done the hard part, breath in, out, in, out. Dang, chin up! I have a beast inside me. I have to kill it.
OK, that's better. Turn on the TV and watch something stupid for an hour, any moron can do that.
No nausea, in fact we get the taxi driver to take us to Pappadeaux's and split a grilled salmon dinner. Yum and head on back to the hotel. Up to now my hands have been cold and have lost some color, but now things are heating up. Time to start watching for a fever, every time I move all night, Nita is jumping like she has a spring inserted in a southern region. She is taking great care of me and takes my temp through the night, but other than 99.7, it never really goes any higher. And what a night, after the ball game and the bars closing at 2:00 am the college kids go wild! We crank on the air conditioner, put in our ear plugs and go back to sleep.
Alarm is set for 5:00 AM we have to hit it early to get to the surgical suite to see Dr. Brown by 7:00am.
The Schedule: Each Monday beginning today, I will have chemo for 90 minutes. These will continue for 11 more weeks, thru the end of June. Thereafter, one chemo treatment every 3 weeks.
Hey, Leah. So glad to hear the first trip through "chemo-land" was at least bearable. I'll be thinking of you every Monday as you fly over our house to get down to Houston. I know we don't see each other much, but if something happens one week and none of your buds can go with you, I would try to meet you in Houston for the days you need to be there. Heck, I'll even take your temperature. :-)) Renee
ReplyDeleteI remember when I had my tonsils out and mom stayed with me in the hospital. I was in 4th grade, but I remember SO clearly that, even though I couldn't talk, if I just banged my hand on the bed rail, Mom would literally shoot up out of the bed like a rocket and be right by my side.
ReplyDeleteIt made me giggle to think of her playing Angry Birds...I actually had to take it off my phone because it makes ME an angry bird!
You are an incredibly strong person and I think of you often. Kick this beast's ass!