We arrived at my doctors office at the appointed time, and dropped of the FMLA paperwork with the Patient Advocate and told her I would come pick it up. I still need to fill out my disability paperwork too, so I can get some payment while I’m off.
I packed my new chemo bag with some knitting and my iPad all set up and ready to go so I can start watching the new season of Outlander. Nurse checked out my port, asked if it was still tender, yes, just a bit. She numbed my with cold spray, on the count of three, take a deep breath, and in she went with the hook up. Not too bad. First they flush the port with saline, and insure I still have blood return. Check, all systems go.
Next, because I agreed to be part of a study, she took a syringe of blood/saline to insure the tubes of blood she needed for the study were not diluted. Then she took two vials of blood to send off to the study. Then the first anti-nausea drug was administered, that was a 30 minute drip. Then the next anti-nausea drug was administered, also another 30 minutes.
Next came the first chemotherapy drug. This is the one that will make my urine pink to red for the next day or two. It has to be pushed in manually as the nurse has to check after every 5 ml to insure I am still getting blood return through the port. They do not want this drug mixing directly into tissue. It’s very toxic and will kill any soft tissue cells it comes in direct contact with, so isn’t that special!
Once we were done pushing that in through my port hook up, my second chemotherapy drug was hung and plugged into my IV. This one would take 40 minutes to administer. I took the time to use the restroom, and yup, pink urine.
I finished my first chemo hat while there, watching Outlander and knitting. I had to drink 2 quarts of Gatorade while there to insure I pumped enough fluids into me to flush the second chemotherapy drug out as quickly as possible. This one can irritate my bladder so I need to make sure I urinate every few hours.
We need to call if I drink all this fluid, but it doesn’t come out, they will get me a diuretic. Evidently this could happen, one of the anti-nausea drugs included a steroid. The Neulasta disc was placed on the back of my left arm. around 3 PM tomorrow it will activate and take about 45 minutes to deliver a dose of Neulasta to me. Once it’s done I can remove the disc. I need to take it back with me the next time so we can dispose of it correctly in their sharps bin.
Done shortly after noon, and we headed back home. I drank some more and ate a small salad for lunch. I went to remove my jewelry and my fingers are already swelling. I was getting ready to check in with my boss and all of a sudden I had to sleep. I had no choice in the matter. So I laid down on our chaise lounge and passed out. I woke over an hour later feeling… weird. I feel fuzzy, tired, and have a very strong metal taste in my mouth.
I still have to make a big pot of chicken noodle soup. I’m not sure I can do this now. Not sure I can stand up for that long. I feel weak. I have not urinated for over 2 hours, and I don’t feel like I need to pee. Great…. My head feels like I could have a headache come on any moment. I know one of the anti-nausea drugs can contribute to migraines.
Day 1 and now I’m desperately reminding my self silently TCST – Treatable, Cureable, Survivable, TEMPORARY!
Update:
Not feeling so good, for a moment or two there after I started moving around I felt like I would be sick. Took my first Zofran pill. Husband asked if I still felt up to going to pick up my car from the repair shop. Of course the headliner broke this past week and based on all the info we had, we figured I’d not start feeling bad until tomorrow at the earliest, so picking up the car tonight before heading off to our respective Support Groups, would be no problem. This is what I get for making such grandiose plans for the first day of chemo. G-d has laughed and said, “you think?”.
Now that I am sitting still again, only feel tired and have the chemo mouth. I ordered up an Uber for Hubby to get the car. Daughter is on her way over to make my soup for me, and the Doctors office has called in an Rx for a diuretic, and told me to back off on the amount of fluid intake I have been doing, Donna said not to throw off my electrolytes, and I also need to eat a banana every time I take one of the diuretics.
Hubby has already brought back the car, now he and daughter are off to get my new Rx. Me, I’m going to sit here and watch TV, pray the headache I feel threatening just stays that way, and not move. Movement is bad.
Hugs ! I’d love to be in your kitchen again! This time making soup and not as a dinner guest. I look at your blog daily. Go Kim! Tell hubby I know a cowboy or two that make great chicken soup!
Thanks Michael! I wish you were here too, but I’ll take what I can get and knowing you are here in spirit is a real moral booster. I just keep envisioning all these chemo drugs as an invading army of warriors that is setting up siege on The Lump. Taking it out! It will lose, even if I have to feel like crap for the next 5 months, it WILL LOSE!