Dragon Blood #1 over and done. I never have to go through the Big Unknown ever again. (Thanks Heather L. for that insight.) It may be different but not how they do stuff. It was strange and somewhat scary and surreal. My nurse was Kelly. She was nice but never commented on the Grinch or my blanket. The end nurse was Katie. (She did comment on the Grinch!) Al was the volunteer, he seemed nice.
They stick you in a room by yourself. I'm assuming this is so if it all goes south in a hurry you're not freaking other people out. They "accessed my port" (stuck a needle in the damn wiggly thing), take blood (vampires) and give you shit for nausea. Then you wait. Then they give you prednisone and benadryl. Which make you thirsty and dry as all get out.
The CHO (of the RCHOP) part begins. I didn't feel any different. They wait and watch you like a hawk. Nurse Kelly did say something about poison and I put the kibosh on that right away!
It's Dragon Blood~can be hard and challenging BUT, I'll be better, faster, stronger, more resilient when this is done. "It's Dragon's Blood. It's RED!" This is also the stuff that will (most likely) make me hair fall out. That's ok. I'm OK with that. I have to be, honestly. The damn stuff grows back. Always has!
Then the R (Rituxan) shit is injected. The part I was the most worried about. It wasn't a walk in the park by any stretch but it could have been so much worse. I flushed, itched some and kept them abreast as to how I felt. I remember watching the count-down as that takes a long time, about 2-3 hours for the slow drip-drip.
I was really glad that my sister and Deb L. were there for part of this event. Even though my poor sister, who does NOT like closed in rooms at all, was pacing like a caged animal. I felt terrible for her. Deb, of course, made fun of me. But they were both dears to be there.
I had my Nulasta shot Tuesday. A prick in the arm. I guess it's better than a prick in the arse.
Nulasta. Why does that sound like it should be a condom? "Nulasta...it'll last-ya all night long!" Or how about a name for pantihose? Who thinks up this shit?
Afterwards, my sister took me to Moe's Restaurant in the Falls. It was strange finding a dip I liked for my yummy potato puffs. I kept switching. Are my taste buds changing already??
All along I'm drinking water like it's my job! Glug, glug, gulp!!
Earlier this morning (Tuesday August 21st) my brother's house I had breakfast on the veranda.....Yogurt, berries on some weird bran cereal with flux seed or oil in it, mango & aloe vera juice. This is not my usual fare!
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This was my view, which is pretty damn nice......
Wednesday was NOT a day I'd like repeated. Marty had another damn arrhythmia episode at work and ended up at Ahuja Medical Center in the afternoon. I didn't have my damn phone at my (basically useless) Wigs and Browns class. When I came home the phone was off the hook ringing. It was Marty at the ER. Thank God for Al & Terry, who came BACK and picked me up. Thank God for Laurie and Christ ScubaCook who came with pizza for poor Marty. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had anything to eat at all.
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| Doctor? Patient? Silliness? |
We waited for his room for SEVEN fkg hours. Needless to say, I (like Queen Victoria) was NOT amused! I had to wear a damn mask the whole time which makes me feel six shades of weird. I felt so bad for my darling spousal unit, waiting in the stupid bed for another stupid bed. Hopefully, that bed was more comfortable.
It's Thursday, August 23rd. It's a new day, another day, a better day. God willing and the creek don't rise.
(Yes Laurie, I said Crick not Creek.)
Your spirit and enthusiasm are contiguous. Here for you and love you.
ReplyDeleteI love your prose. <3
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