As Joe shared in his recent post, I started chemo about a week and a half ago, and I have since discovered that all those side effects they talk about really ARE side effects. I have to say, however, my body took it pretty well. I know it will get harder with each treatment, but at the moment this is all very manageable.
1:00pm : Chemo treatment. I finally made use of the "dongles" I have sticking out of my arm semi-permanently. The previous Friday, April 3, I went in for a small procedure where they put in my pic line. A pic line is essentially a semi-permanent IV. They put it in through your arm and a tiny tube goes up through the vein in your arm across your chest and stops right before your heart. What you see on the outside of the arm looks a lot like an IV with two little IV plug ins hanging off. I have it covered all the time to keep it clean and sanitized...they clean it and change the dressing each wee, and it just hangs out there. It doesn't hurt anymore, but if I knocked it too hard...well...let me just say, it's sutured to my arm, so I DON'T want to hit it too hard.
So, the way they use this for treatment is...they just plug you in. It's very convenient and it keeps me from looking like a pin cushion after 16 weeks of blood work and treatment.
4:00pm: Went home, sat up with Mom, Joe, and Kristen for about an hour and then pretty much crashed until my alarm went off at 7:00am the next morning.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
All Day: Felt pretty good overall. I was tired to be sure, but I had no nausea and I was able to go to work. Worked a full day, got a hug and tears from my boss...overall, pretty good day.
1:00pm: Went to get my Neulasta injection. This is basically a drug that rebuilds your bone marrow and white blood cell count after chemo treatment. I found that this is incredibly painful. Your bones literally ache...like growing pains, but times about 5.
5:00pm: Went home. Went to bed instantly.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
I had my rough day. I went to work in the morning, can't provide you with times because I don't remember much from the day, but I went home at lunch, fell asleep, and slept until the next morning when my alarm went off. Very rough day, but if I just sleep through it...I should be fine!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
7:00am: Got up much more refreshed than the previous day. I went to work and made ALMOST all the way through the day. I finally went home at 4:00, but I was pretty productive overall.
This is the day when the headaches kicked in full force. I was feeling better for the most part, but my God!!!! The headaches were awful. Turns out...the doctor thinks it's one of the chemo drugs, so I may just have to pop some vicodin and deal. Sad panda.
4:00pm: Once again, went home, changed, brushed my teeth, and instantly fell asleep until the next morning. Like I said...I was very tired.
Friday, April 10, 2009
7:00am: I wake up feeling almost GOOD! Still feeling pretty weak, but I head off to work...still with a headache...and work a full day!
5:00pm: Went home and actually stayed up for a little while. Shocking. Joe was exhausted too, so we fell asleep early, ready for the weekend. I had actually made plans for Saturday so I needed my rest.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
8:00am: Felt good, still tired...even after ALL THAT SLEEP!
11:00am: Went to lunch and the mall with Kristen, Katie, and baby Luke, which was the first time I'd gotten out of the house to go somewhere other than work, the doctor, or the pharmacy, so it was nice to be around people. We ate Nordstrom Cafe, which I love...then we ate cookies, which I love even more.
3:00pm: Head home to make plans with Scott, our friend who lives in L.A., but is from K.C. originally. We had made plans to go to the Royals v. Yankees game with him.
4:00pm: Head out to the remodeled Kaufman Stadium to see the Royals lose...by a lot. Suddenly realize that my elbow has been hurting all day, but it's now just throbbing. I finally take a look at it and find that it's s
wollen and red and very painful. The deets of this story will come in my next post. Blow off the elbow...after all, it's just an elbow, and watch the game.<--This is Joe and I at the game!
9:00pm: Leave during the 7th inning stretch because I can't move my arm anymore due to pain.
9:45pm: End up in the ER at Shawnee-Mission and THAT is to be continued.....
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