Chemo Day 10

Since it's 11:35pm, you have correctly guessed that the score is steroids 3, Jennifer 0.  For the 3rd chemo day in a row, I cannot sleep.  The first 2 times I tried an Ativan, which didn't do it.  Tonight, I tried a huge dose of Benadryl per my MO's office.  There was a brief glimmer of hope around 9:30pm but it came and went and here we are.  I'm blogging before I head to my cloffice (closet/office) and continue wrapping presents.  Might get done tonight. 

Chemo Day 10 was much smoother than days have been lately.  Had a nice outfit going - received a compliment at chemo which is always nice. I was back in Infusion Room 4!  Yippee!  And had IN2 (Infusion Nurse 2) with me today (which was fabulous and IN1 stopped by to say hi. IN3 was back doing ports so I got her for port access.) Private bath and general privacy for sneaking in 1 more person than allowed.  At least for a little.  While John waited in the waiting room, my girls came with me and had the whole CCG capping demonstration.  They were impressed with CCG's skills.  The capping is now absolutely freezing with my thinning hair but I got through it with only a tear or two once the cap really got going.  

Once frozen and full of premeds, CCG said goodbye and I hung out with the girls until I was ready to pass out and they headed home to walk the dog and continue their days while my husband came in to babysit. 

I slept the whole time.  There was another brief back spasm, but quickly corrected and I was on back on Taxol in no time.  Again, they literally had to wake me up to send my on my way.

I avoided napping for a little while when I got home.  Ended up starting a puzzle with my oldest, puzzle-loving daughter and then napped later.  I set an alarm for 1 hour and then got up.  

I thought I managed my day well and then took the Benadryl as I crawled into bed but nope.  No sleep.  I'm okay with it.  I signed up for my workout class tomorrow - just the 11:00am one.  I'll miss the 5:30am people though.  Hopefully I will ride this steroid energy into Friday and hit the 5:30am class on Friday.  And I'll probably sneak in a nap if I don't sleep in - holiday dinner with the family tomorrow night and I'll want to be cheery and bright for it.  I can't wait.

So sleep well my friends!  I'll be hiding and wrapping gifts.  xo J

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

April Oncology Visit and Onward

The oncology visit last week went well as one can.  The pain under my left armpit is, tah dah!, from radiation!  Turns out my muscles under there are working like shoelaces now rather than rubber bands.  Thank you scar tissue.  Is it any wonder my mobility is reduced?  Still need to schedule PT for this but at least there's an answer. With regard to the A1C, I'm to ignore that result for now.  It's a 3 month look back, and guess who still had chemo running through her then?  Me.  I will reschedule the test for 3-6 months out and then we'll get serious about it if we need to be. The only shit news, and I appreciate the candor and honesty, is that there is NOTHING to do for my head hair.  It's still shedding, 17 weeks PFC, and it sucks.  I have a tiny bit of growth but it's random short hairs here and there.  I'm still treating it like lace and I am itching to REALLY wash it (scrub my scalp), blow dry it on full heat, and take a ...
Read more

Post Paris and Pre Infusion

Paris was, as you might imagine, heaven.  Bliss.  Totally grateful to have had the opportunity to travel with LDLF.  6 days of joy.  And back to reality.   Last week, I had an oncology massage at MGH.  It's in the same building as my radiation treatments but not in the basement.  Didn't matter.  I walked through the door and physically swayed from dizziness.  The PTSD is strong with me.  Went to the waiting room and again, was the youngest person there.  Spied the infusion rooms, gave another shudder, and after a little wait, headed back to meet my new BFF, the massage therapist.   When I think 'massage', I think 'spa'.  Nope.  An exam room in which you get a 'massage'.  However, it's not a normal massage AT ALL.  Instead, she worked to loosen the muscles which have shrunk: "Like if you put a chicken breast in the microwave, it shrinks.  That's what has happened to your shoulder and pec muscles."  ...
Read more

The Hill I'm Willing to Die on...

Flash back to October 2, 2024.  I'm getting my port in.  I'm on the surgical floor of MGH West in Waltham.  I am sedated, a medical professional makes 2 incisions, one where the port is placed in my right chest area and one where a tube is inserted into a vein in my neck.  You can see the tube over my collarbone.  It's been very effective, even though I hate it.  It's a constant reminder.   Flash back to yesterday.  I receive a call from Interventional Radiology to schedule my port removal.  I know from prior conversations with my medical oncologist that this procedure is done WHILE THE PATIENT IS AWAKE, WITH JUST LOCAL NUMBING AGENTS.  WTF?  No thank you.  The nurse explains that again yesterday and I say 'no'.  Nope.  You sedated me to put it in, and you will sedate me to take it out.  I will throw up if I feel anyone cut into me, or any tugging or pulling while it's being taken out.  I'm pretty ...
Read more