The weekend has gone fine! The anti-biotics are in my system and I am coughing less which helps since my muscles have been hurting with all the coughing. The naps are helping my body fight! Last night I even saw a few family members and a few dear friends which lifted my spirits! While I was talking with the ladies last night I realized how many people have questions about the way chemo works and even looks so I thought I would give you all a description:
The room that I have chemo in is a large cream colored room that has a nurses station in the middle of the room with about 20 hospitalreclining chairs. It is sterile but the nurses make it as festive as possible with decorations on the IV poles like at Christmas there waspoinsettia vines hanging from them a nd now there are snowflakes hanging. The routine for a chemo day begins with the nurses hooking up my port so they can take my blood and check for all my blood count numbers. Once we have the numbers I go to see the doctor back in an exam room and talk about any concerns I have been having as well as what to expect with the latest treatment to come. They also check my vitals to make sure all is going well with me before the toxins go in me. I do love this doctors office because it is the first doctor who celebrates when I do not lose weight! Once I have seen thedoctor a nd all is well I go back to the chemo room to begin the treatment. I sit and get comfortable while my nurse gets all the IVs started for me. I begin with an anti-nausea med along with a bag of saline to keep everything flowing through me. Once the first med is done then the nurse brings over 3vials of red chemo which she has to push in me by ha nd. It has to be monitored the whole time so that it goes in correctly because this is the dangerous med if it gets into my tissues instead of my veins. After about 20 minutes this is done and we move on to another bag of chemo that is clear which goes for about 45 minutes. I finish off the saline bag and then we are ready to get out of there. My port gets detached and then we are able to leave. It takes about 4 hours from start to finish! During the time the chemo is going in I am able to do just about anything you can do sitting down. I can even get up and walk to the restroom or walk back and forth if needed. Keith and I have played cards during the 2nd treatment. I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" during the first treatment. I got to spend the time talking with Katie during the 3rd treatment. We can bring in food if we want and they encourage you to be as comfortable as you possibly be. I have been blesses to be wrapped in a purple prayer shawl each time which keeps me warm as well as comforted that I am loved! I also bring a few things to stay positive like a picture I have carried since diagnosis of our three beautiful girls smiling together as well as a red devotional book that has found me comfort even during the scary dark days. By the time we leave I am dizzy and nauseous but glad to be going home. I am able to eat right when we leave (so we usually make it to our favorite hot dog joint right down the road where we catch up with the owners or the worker we have known since high school. They are such great people who are some of my best cheerleaders since we have made this our place to stop throughout this cancer diagnosis.... Max's Dawg House is a great place to stop when you want great burgers or other food!!!) but by about 5:30pm that is all over and I need to be home and in bed because I am SICK! That is my day of chemo which is on Fridays. I then spend the rest of the weekend taking pills and trying to stay ahead of all the side effects. I am asleep a great deal so that I can get away from the feelings and try to let the meds do their thing!
I hope this helps you know that I am well taken care of and have a great team of people who are caring for me during this process!
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