littleprincess's Cancer Blog
July 9, 2008
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They changed my schedule again, so I had my first chemo yesterday instead of Monday. Let me tell you about my day. I woke up at 5:30 to get ready and take care of the critters. Left my house at 7:00 to be to the hospital by 9:00 for bloodwork. They stabbed me around 9:45. I was supposed to see my gyn onc at 10:00. Well, I get upstairs and stand in line for 15 minutes just to check in. And as soon as I check in they’re calling me back. Well, they open me up to have a look inside, and everyone’s face scrunches up while they’re looking. Then I get poked with a q-tip which makes the “granulation tissue” bleed. So, I got some silver nitrate in there. It didn’t hurt until later. I have my cancerhead fears about the granulation tissue. I didn’t know granulation tissue would bleed so easily. When I had my pap and LEEP done, the tissue was sooo fragile. I bled for several days after my pap. So now I have this fragile type of tissue in what is left of my vagina. I’m thinking and hoping and praying that if it is another mass then the radiation and chemo will get it, and make this process worth it. Right?
So, due to some less than fancy scheduling-I’m supposed to start chemo at 2:30, and have radiation at 3:45. I asked if I was just supposed to wheel my IV pole down there. They told me to go to radiation early. So I go to check in at radiation, and he says it will be about an hour. Perfect! I have time to fill up. My bladder is supposed to be full during radiation to help push the intestines out of the pelvis. When they call me back, I am READY to “go.” Well, they had the hardest time positioning me. It took much longer than day one (Monday). So, they scheduled me basically for another simulation. They want to redo my marks. They are NOT tattooing me again! I’d like to see them try. So by the time we got done, he went to help pull me up off the table, I thought I was going to wet myself! I ran to the bathroom! AAAAHHHH!
We had just enough time to grab lunch and run upstairs to check in for chemo. We get up there, and there’s arrows pointing everywhere. My schedule didn’t tell me where to go other than to the 8th floor. I waited for a nurse to get off the phone so I could ask where to go. I was in the Green unit. Check in a litte early, thinking great I home early. Heck no! They were so behind. And its not anyone’s fault. Things happen, patients react to meds, I understand about backups (usually). So they get me back there at 4:30. I had a pissy moment when the nurse said she couldn’t feel my vein, so she was calling the IV team, and I had to wait longer. I’m sitting there staring at my super white almost see-through skin on my forearm. I’m thinking, “What the heck, you can see right where it is! Where’s that danged catheter?!” So I went on a rant directed at Robin about how a lot of times with animals we can’t feel OR see the vein. But then I calmed down. I would much rather someone else do it if she wasn’t comfortable. I’ve been dug in, and I’ve done plenty of digging with some of those poor patient speechless animals. And I can usually still get kisses after a bad stick! Well, the IV team nurse came in and it was a beautiful stick. AND, it was the first time I did not pass out from a catheter! I didn’t even get woozy! Score for me! So the infusion started about 4:45 and ended at 9:30. 5 hours of IV fluids=6 trips to the bathroom for me! Luckily we found some stupid gameshows on TV that made us laugh. I used to never watch reality TV, and gameshows have become pretty bad. But I had to see what these were all about. We laughed a LOT!
We got home at 11:00, walked the dogs, then crashed. I was wide awake this morning at 5! I took the dogs out and got very nauseous. I also had a headache. I emailed in sick to work. I didn’t want to make the drive and then get sick there. I’ve taken my Zofran and some Tylenol. Waiting for it to kick in. Wow, this post is really long! Well, one chemo and 2 radiations done! 4 and 26 to go!
07.07.08 - 
Thanks for your support -
Hey, just finished reading your blog.
You write really well, I’m also midway through a course of chemo. Good clean fun that it is.
Hope it all goes well for you!
Cheers
Jez
P.S I have a blog here http://jezhickson.blogspot.com/ if you’re at a loose end and looking for something to read.
I try to keep an upbeat positive attitude with every step and treatment and every so often I really feel like I am getting the crap kicked out of me, then I read your blog and realize you are an incredibly strong women, I know we each do what we have to daily for the end result but you are a true inspiration to me. May God richly bless you.