Chemo Treatment

              I've got my running shoes...

Got my sport IPod wrist holder...

Got my comfy sweat suit...

Am I going to work out?

Nope, I'm going to sit in a chair for three hours!

Here's how the day went...

Terry got up with the boys and let me sleep in. I woke up about two minutes before our doorbell rang and Wendy and Brandy brought me this beautiful scripture quilt to take to chemo with me.

Thank you to everyone who worked on the quilt and everyone who contributed a scripture. I read all the verses as the first i.v. bag went into my port and it kept my mind off of it.

We got to the doctor's office 30 minutes before the scheduled time and Paul met us there to pray. I annoyed the other people in the waiting room by taking the above photos. (I imagined them thinking, "Inconsiderate little chippy, disrupting the quiet atmophere for us cancer patients." Oh, well, next time I'll be in a wig or a scarf and they'll know I belong with them!) I also took these pics...

Terry in the waiting room.

The view from the waiting room.

They took us back to a big room sectioned off into little rooms. We stayed here for three hours:

First they drew blood to send to the lab and check that I was healthy enough to get the treatment. This is standard and they'll do it every time.

Terry was thrilled to find out they had wi-fi. He was able to work most of the time we were there.

Then they gave me a full bag of saline. But first they had to stick a fat needle into my port. I wish I hadn't looked at it. I mean, it wasn't Lupron needle big, but it was big. I swear I heard my skin pop when she poked it through! But it only hurt going in and then I was fine. The location of the port is actually the main reason I needed a "chemo outfit." I had to wear a v-neck low enough to get the i.v. in without it being constantly aggitated by my clothes.

Next I got steroids and anti-nausea medicines, all intravenously. About two minutes into these treatments I was suddenly famished and even though I'd eaten breakfast, I insisted that Terry go find me food. My nurse just laughed and said, "Yep, that's the steroids. They make you hungry." Not being at all medically-aware, I thought it was interesting to see how fast the meds could work like that. (Next time I'll bring a lunch, I guess.)

Terry and I talked a little, played mad-gab, and then he discovered that Real Housewives of New York was on and so I snuggled up and pulled the t.v. close.

I got really sleepy just lying around and watching t.v. Here's a pic of me in a near-coma.

I never did fall asleep. Here or at home either. The nurse said the steroids would make me feel wired. My brain was wired, but my body was sleepy. I tried to rest for a few hours but never napped. I was supposed to pick Brandy up to go to Bunco, but I called Lindsey last minute so she could drive because I was starting to feel weak. Good thing, too, cause I never could have driven us home later that night.

Playing bunco and laughing was so much fun and I was so grateful that I was able to go. Even if I did freak half the group out by showing them my foob. (The other half was very interested, trust me.)

By the end of the night I had some serious muscle ache. Brandy lent me her heating pad which I slept on all night. My back and my legs were really sore and Tylenol didn't provide much relief. It took 1.5 hours to kick in and ease the pain, but the pain came back two hours later. So I slept in two hour shifts. Today I've been a bit achy, really tired, a little weak- my legs shake if I walk around too much. I'm treating my nausea the same way I treated morning sickness- at the first sign of a queasy tummy I eat something.

I haven't been any help around the house today or yesterday. And we weren't prepared for that. We thought I'd be up and running until tomorrow. I really can't complain yet. I just feel a bit run down. But we're all worried that if I feel like this now, when most people are still ok and going strong, how will I handle the next few days? I'm hoping that I'm an exception to the rule and I have my hardest days up front and then get over it quickly. We'll see...

Thanks for the prayers!