Today was Chemo School. I had picked up the prescriptions that Dr. Sikaria’s office told me would be called in and that I would need to pick them up prior to “school.” We headed over with my new chemo meds and went to learn.
When we first arrived, they advised us that the approval for the genetic test had come through and that they could draw the blood for that. I had some forms to sign, and they had to go over some of the information about the test.
I signed the forms while the nurse got everything ready to draw my blood.
I told her there was a skin tag on the right arm at my elbow. That marks the spot where the blood comes out. She tied the tourniquet, gave me the rubber ball to squeeze, and started feeling around. I told her, “I promise,” use a butterfly needle and go straight up under the skin tag. Blood will come out. She felt some more, and I told her you will not feel it. Trust me, and go for it. She did, and her little squeal of delight when she got blood told me she didn’t believe me. I teased her – you didn’t believe me! She said she was really worried because she couldn’t feel it and was afraid she would have to stick me a second time.
After that, we were taken back to an exam room to meet with the Nurse Practitioner and learn about chemo.
She went over our insurance and co-pays first. There is no copay for chemo, but there will be co-pays for doctor visits and when we meet with the Nurse Practitioner.
When I come in for my first chemo appointment on 10/10, that is day 1 of cycle 1. It will take about three hours to complete the infusion. They will start with anti-nausea drugs, then the chemo drugs. When I am done, they will apply a Neulasta disc. It’s battery-operated and will administer the Neulasta automatically at the proper time. It will have a light on it when it turns red or off or something like that; after 27 hours, I can remove the disc. It will make a noise when it’s ready to administer the drug.
One of my chemo drugs will turn my urine pink to reddish color. The other one will irritate my bladder, so I have to drink a minimum of 2-3 quarts of fluid every day and make sure I drink enough to make me urinate twice every night so my bladder doesn’t go too long without emptying the first 2 to 3 days of the cycle.
She did ask me about motion sickness, and when we told her I am prone to motion sickness in the car (generally not in planes, trains, or boats, though), she changed the anti-nausea drugs that would be administered. She had already had Compezine called into our pharmacy, but she told me not to pick that one up. She will have a different drug called in for me to pick up and take on days 1-4 at bedtime.
I am to take Decadron days 2 through 4, day and night, and Zofran every 8 hours as needed, days 2 through 4.
I am also to take Claritin on day 2 to help prevent the bone pain that can be caused by the Neulasta.
My hair will fall out around 2 to 3 weeks after day 1 of the first cycle.
We already have an Rx for Cipro in case I spike a fever. If my temperature is over 100.4, I am to take the Cipro, and we are to call in and report the fever.
If I develop mouth sores, we are to call in.
If the nausea is not controlled, we are to call in.
If we have any questions, we call in.
This is only for phase one of chemo. We have to do this again for phase two…
I have a standing order for a CBC (Complete Blood Count) two business days before the start of the next cycle.
Life is expanding our medical education