Ice Ice Baby

My hands and feet on ice.
 Jody, Thanks for making this
shoulder wrap to keep me warm!

This morning I went to Carlton Massage in Green for the complimentary therapies I mentioned in my previous post. I felt pretty good when I left at noon - until I was half way home.

I got a call from the Treatment Center and the nice nurse was wondering if there was a problem because I didn't show up for my 10:15 chemo appointment. I almost went off the road! I explained that we just checked the appointment card and I was scheduled for 1:15. She looked in another location and said that I was scheduled for labs at 1:15 and could see where they made a mistake. She needed to find out if there would be enough time to come in  for my treatment today. What?! I told her I HAD to have it today and could come in immediately to get started. She promised she would call me back with an answer.

As I pulled in the garage I got the call to come in at 1:15.  I seemed to lose my focus and the effects from the massage and Reiki were gone. I had a few minutes to eat a sandwich and finish packing my pink bag. We were on the expressway when I realized that I forgot to numb my arm with lidocaine! I have a port to access the vein in my right arm and the needle looks like a thumb tack on steroids! Oh Geez!

As soon as I got settled into my chair we unpacked the Raspberry Italian Ice and tried to numb my arm. It still hurt because it goes through so many layers of skin but Richard let me squeeze his hand and it was over before I could cuss. Note to self - Don't EVER forget the lidocaine again!

First, I had Decadron by IV (a steroid to prevent an allergic reaction). Then I had to wait 30 minutes before the chemo drug Taxotere. While I was waiting I got my hands and feet put on ice. The purpose is to constrict the veins to prevent the drug from doing the following:

• numbness in my hands and feet which is called peripheral neuropathy. 
• keep layers of skin from peeling on my hands and feet
• keep finger and toe nails from turning dark and falling off

I know! Gross! Right?


What I like about this drug is that I'm not nauseous!
What I'm dreading is the bone pain...

Tomorrow I will be going for fluid IV (2 bags=2 hours) and a shot of Neulasta in my tummy. No, silly! Not a shot glass. I'm talking about the needle kind!

Let's have a little contest. See how long you can leave your hands on ice. The record to beat is 75 minutes.

Read More

Round 5 + Herceptin

This morning I was due for my Herceptin drip.  My appointment was 8:30am and it was about 9:15 when the IV was administered.  They were really busy and had 70 patients that would be coming through today.  Canzer is everywhere.  I was in a private room and Nurse Bev took great care of me.

L-O-V-E the heated blankets!

I tried to relax my body and quiet my mind enough to take advantage of the moments of stillness. I am so very tired, but couldn't fade into sleep (too much activity outside the opened door). 

Got my blood test done for the Coumadine and found it to be 3.3 (should be between 2 - 4).  Doc Esther's office called me at work with the results and now I am back down to just 1 pill a day.

I asked Nurse Bev if I had been on Taxol or Taxotere.  A friend of mine is getting ready for Taxol and I couldn't remember what I had.  To my "shock", I was on Taxol.  I say this because the paper I received during orientation on the 3 drugs wasn't Taxol, it was Taxotere.

Any reference of Taxotere in my blog is wrong!

Explains my confusion whenever I heard references about my chemo drugs all those months.  I just started to  believe that it was the same drug (namebrand and generic).  Oh, brother!

I made it back to work finally and tried to get my mind focused.  By 1:00, I was incredibly tired and just wanted to go home and sleep.

At 4:00, I clocked out to make it to radiation treatment by 4:30.  They were running behind and I got in a little after 5:00.  I met a lady while waiting and we exchanged stories.  She began a week before me.

One tech this time and I got in & out quickly. 

It was a long week.  I need 5-1/2 hours of make up time and will work Saturday to catch up.  I think I might sleep the weekend away after that.

One week DONE!

 

 28 LEFT!

All Aboard!

 

Read More