Chemo Day 1

posted Monday, 8 August 2005

It's time... the day is finally here.  No turning back now...
Heather and Nancy and I had a fantastic dinner at Prospectors Grille & Saloon (and country night club) last night... but to our dismay, the night club was closed (sorry Jess - I couldn't dance with your man again!).  The biscuits, however, were fantastic, as always... and Heaton brought over a delicious peanut butter pie (one of my favorites).  Then, Susie came over and stayed overnight with me. 
A ginormous thunder storm rolled through the area at 6:40am, shaking me out of bed.  I showered, dressed (I've decided that my hair must look good for the next few weeks... even if that means actually using the blow dryer) and had some breakfast, before shuffling off to Virtua (the hospital where I get my treatments).  For those of you at ZS, the clinic is *in* the hospital, but is a separate clinic, so I am sure they have their own DDD ID.  And I contributed to their sales today! 
I first saw the doctor... I let him know that I had been feeling a little under the weather, but he didn't fall for that and said we needed to get started anyways... actually, that's fine with me - rather start and get it done with than delay any longer. 
Then it was off to the lab for bloodwork - a #2 & a #12 (basically a complete blood count or CBC and something to check on kidney or liver function - I forget which).  I went back to my recliner that I had picked out (in the corner of the "quiet room", which has only 4 chairs, as opposed to the "party room", which has 8 chairs & 2 TVs, usually on different channels).  The room filled up quickly -

• Bob (with the hat on that read "If I had known that I would live this long, I would have taken better care of my body")
• Mr Potter (who claimed his recliner and then disappeared for 30 minutes, while people were lined up outside, waiting for a seat)
• Sandy (who was a bit grumpy, but warmed up a little bit by the end)
• Me (fantastic me, with Susie by my side)

My nurse, Rosemary, was fantastic.  She gave me a packet of info about managing side effects and was, in general, a sweetheart.  I waited for a half hour for my bloodwork to come back and then we got started.  She put an IV in the back of my hand, about an inch from my wrist.  Since the drugs are caustic and can scar a vein, redering it useless for weeks, they start low on your arm and work their way up... that way, if there is a problem, they can just move further up the arm. 

1. The first bag she hung was a small one filled with Aloxi & dexamethasone.  Aloxi is a new, long-lasting anti-emetic "Say no to nausea... say yes to control".  Dex is a cortico-steroid, which is also used to counter the nausea.  This took about 20 minutes to drip into the IV. 
2. Next came the Adriamycin (or Red Devil, as I heard another woman refer to it).  Adria is administered in syringes that are pushed into the IV tube, mixed with sugar water (it would damage the veins at full strength).  I had 2 1/2 syringes.  It looked like red Kool-Aid.  It's red going in and it's red coming out (I peed bright red several times so far!)  Again, good thing they gave me a heads-up on that or it could have been quite disturbing.  The Adria didn't hurt, but since it had been refrigerated, it was cold, and I could feel my hand & arm get cold.
3. Last step... the cytoxan.  This was another IV drip.  It can cause sinus headaches, and since I am already congested, I had them put it in slower than usual (1.5 hours vs 1 hour). 

And that was it... 3 hours later, they took out the IV and sent me on my way.  I did get to watch a super-exciting video about how to give a sub-cutaneous injection.  I left the hospital with the pre-filled syringe (which will track to the D6 clinic ID) and prescriptions for Zofran & compazine (these I filled in the retail pharmacy, however, the pad had the names of all the doctors in the clinic on it, so it may actually track to a 95/96 IMSID).  Susie and I had lunch, stopped at CVS and then headed home to watch the Princess Bride.  Heaton is now here to spend the night with me.  I'm feeling ok, but starting to get a little queasy (could be in my head though... or due to the extended computer typing)... so I will sign off now. 
Before I go...

• I've gotten super-good at blogging and now, the links can be found embedded within the comments above...
• I was hoping to share the website for Prospectors, but they aren't really that high tech out in the country.
• PS- Be sure to click on the Princess Bride link above to figure out which character you are... I am apparently THE CLERGYMAN... "mawidge, the bwessed awwangement, that dweam wiffim a dweam..."
• PS - Heaton is INIGO MONTOYA... "My name is Inigo Montoya... you killed my father... prepare to die"

Comments:

1. Aunt Marye left...

Tuesday, 9 August 2005 12:15 am

Hey girl, I did try to leave u a message before, I guess I'm one of the unable ones: nerdy but not geeky enough.. Want you to know you're in my thoughts & prayers. You continue to amaze me- but then again, the best of the best is in your heritage! I love you, and thanks for keeping us posted.

2. susie left...

Tuesday, 9 August 2005 11:44 am

oh my god--i'm Fezzik (the giant). how scary. what does that mean???

3. matt left...

Tuesday, 9 August 2005 11:59 am

if you see bob again, can you find out where he got his hat?

4. John left...

Tuesday, 9 August 2005 12:50 pm

Naturally, my sister got the lisp, and I got the intelligence. Vizzini is clearly the only possibility for me.

5. Sarah left...

Tuesday, 9 August 2005 5:29 pm

I'm the Albino?!? Obviously I've been in England too long... Miss you loads. Wish I could be there with you. I'd bring an IKEA catalogue. -sarah

6. ultichick left...

Tuesday, 9 August 2005 8:16 pm

I am Prince Humperdinck. Don't know if that is good or bad as I never saw the movie. My quote as a prince: "That may be the first time in my life a man has dared insult me." You figure it out. (and be sure to get back to me).

7. Grammy & Grampy left...

Tuesday, 9 August 2005 10:01 pm

Keep your chin up. We're still praying really hard for you.

8. Jaeger left...

Wednesday, 10 August 2005 5:13 pm

I'm also the Clergyman! Dang it, I was really hoping to be Wesley or Inigo Montoya -- life imitates art I suppose...
Off to a monastery for my apparent calling.

9. Aunt Mary & Uncle Charlie left...

Wednesday, 10 August 2005 9:16 pm

This is quite the Blog ! Please do keep us posted. Our thoughts and Prayers are with you. Hope to see you in PA.

10. Mike left...

Friday, 12 August 2005 12:40 pm

Evidently, I'm "Miracle Max".

11. brian left...

Friday, 12 August 2005 5:07 pm

you know, i got caught up on whether my best asset was my intellect or my good looks =P
intellect makes me Vizzini, but good looks makes me the Ancient Booer. "Bow to the Queen of Slime, the Queen of Filth, the Queen of Putrescence." i have to admit though, i've said those exact words before.

12. J left...

Thursday, 18 August 2005 9:13 pm

Mellen did my PB test for me and I came out as Vizzini. Yeah, superior intellect ... that's me.
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
Thanks for the blog and for keeping us in the loop. We love you and know you'll fight your way through this and be stronger on the other side.
Peas, J & ME or ME & me but definitely not ME & I

13. Carissa left...

Monday, 22 August 2005 10:31 am

Buttercup, baby