What a day yesterday was! Due to the Dexamethasone (originally for nausea for my first three treatments but for these last three its actually been to help with the swelling and puffiness one gets from the chemo drug) I have to take the day before, day of and day after this particular chemo treatment it causes sleep issues so needless to say I was wide a wake at 3:15 am and there was no way I could get back to sleep! After tossing and turning for just over an hour I finally got up and sat at the computer played facebook for awhile and did some typing I wanted to get started on by the time I got that all done the sleeping bodies started stirring and our day was ready to get going!
Les headed to work, the kids and I headed to school where I got to help in Eli's class with their reading program for the first time, I love doing that and will miss not being able to particpate again for a few weeks but I'll be back! It's so fun to watch all the kids and the different stages they are at, it's especially fun for me to watch my own child and watch how he interacts in a school setting with his teacher and classmates and to watch his progress!
I had mixed emotions this time mostly because Les had come to every single one of my chemo appointments and he had to miss this one, the last one, the exciting one because it was the last one but there was no way he could get out of work with staff on holidays. I completely understand and am so blessed to have him, throughout this he has tried to come to as many appointments as he can. It's been exhausting for him as his days off and holidays have all been worked around surgery or doctor appointments he needs a holiday from all this as much as I do!!
My friend Berit picked me up and we headed to the hospital, chemo was scheduled for 12:45 pm. We got there and as we were waiting for the chemo nurse to call me in my brother surprised me by stopping by and saying hello (he works at the hospital), that was a wonderful surprise! Chemo room must have been a little behind because I didn't get called until just after 1 and once we got in there that's when the fun began!
It seems out of the 6 chemo treatments I've had only 2 treatments have gone smoothly and yesterday wasn't one of those! I have a portacath because my veins won't work and a couple treatments ago the nurses couldn't get blood return (very important) so I had to do some funny exercises but they got it working.....well this treatment had the same issues but this time it was not going to work. They tried everything again the hanging upside down on the bed, deep breathing moving my neck back and forth, holding my hands behind my back deep breathing, moving them forward, touching my toes, all the time head moving left, right, left, right while doing the deep breaths (with a chest cold). Nope, would not work! Now they had to inject a special medication that breaks down any clogging that is happening at the tip of the portacath but this means time. They injected me and then I had to sit around for an hour before they could test the line again. Lucky for Berit and I we didn't have to stay in the chemo room so we went and spent some money! There was a book fair going on by the cafeteria (there is always something going on there) and we both spent some money. I'm sure both our husbands are wondering how we can go to a chemo appointment and end up with purchases (probably more hers then mine)!!
So....back to chemo room by this time its 2:45 pm and I was hoping by this time we'd be on our way home! Nurses checked the line and YES it worked!! We could proceed with treatment. We then had to wait for the nurses to order the drug and have the pharmacy (right next door) prepare it and deliver it and for some reason with Docetaxel it takes a little longer to prepare. Finally the drug arrived and chemo proceeded, now to sit and wait for another hour as it slowly entered into my body.
Finally at 4:20 pm we were in the car and very ready to head home! However, for all of you that know Surrey you know how much of a treat the drive home can be!! Not only was it rush hour it was a Friday and the beginning of a long weekend which all spells out SLOW for trying to get home! I won't go on and on about our drive home but I will tell you we didn't reach my house until 6:30 pm (with a 10 minute pit stop at Berit's house). What a long day!
I so badly wanted to go out and celebrate this exciting moment in my life NO MORE CHEMO, this milestone but I was so exhausted I just couldn't do it. This will have to wait for another day and trust me there will be a celebration!
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