Ok, so let's try this again... 5 paragraphs were wiped out due to issues on this site and I could kill them! UGH! I am hoping I can remember the humour in yesterday.....
All week I was stressed out about having to go to another chemotherapy session. I woke up at 5am the morning of chemo!! Couldn't fall back asleep to save my life. Oh well... grabbed a Gatorade (keeping those fluids up) and started my day after playing on the computer. I packed all my necessities, my book from Jilly, my DVD player from Sheelagh, 4 DVDs and Barbie brought the snacks :D
We arrived 20 minutes late because SOME little girl didn't want to walk her butt to school. I guess 8th grade award ceremonies are EXHAUSTING! ha! While getting my blood drawn to test my white cell count, a med assistant just had to harass me about nearly fainting at last weeks blood draw. This whole port thing is just so new to me. Mine seems to have a tilt in it, so after two people poking and prodding it, yeah, I was a bit faint. SEND IN THE SMELLING SALTS... TWICE!! She said she should have sold tickets! Brat! Thank goodness for Tammy, she got it the first try. So, I asked for Tammy again and BOOM, first try again. She is going to be my standard request from now on, no offense to the other techs, but I am not fond of feeling faint.
I met another angel on Earth today.... She was 75 and going on her third battle with cancer. First it was Uterine, second was breast and now lymphoma. Most people sit in the waiting room only speaking to spouses, loved-ones or friends, never to each other. Not this lady, whom I will not name. I am still a "hospital worker" mentally and I won't violate the HIPPA laws. I found her amazing! Her spirit was so alive and she acted like it was nothing, no big deal. WOW! Someone can fluff off cancer and chemo like that? I was shocked. She had asked my what type of cancer I was dealing with, when I told her, she said she was going to have to look it up for she had never heard of that type before. It was very interesting to her. Her ocean blue eyes danced as she talked about her life and you could see nothing but joy in them. He beautiful shoulder-length hair was a dazzling white and a bluish-silver and I knew that would be falling out soon, it was such a pity. It didn't seem to phase her. I guess when you are her age and fighting for your life for the third time, it gets to be normal. She gave me more courage, I think she actually passed on some of her courage to me spiritually.
Time to go in! I was all set up and getting the Adriamycin, the "Red Devil" as it's affectionately known. It is the one that has made my hair fall out so fast. I noticed the nurse held several paper towels under it as she pushed it into my port. I asked her why and she stated that it would eat her skin. WOW! This is going through my veins?? She said that is why I had a port, so it would go straight into my blood stream, because it can damage veins, burn them!! I was sadly disappointed when I walked into the room... it was packed! I couldn't get a chair near an electrical outlet, so my DVD player was out of the picture. I tried to read my book, but found myself getting drowsy, so I napped through most of my chemo. Except when I took the time to flirt with a cutie that was sitting with his friend. He was under 40 and I never found out what kind of cancer he had, but I mentioned Lance Armstrong's foundation that helps with all sorts of needs for cancer patients under 40 and he thanked me. His friend brought him McDonald's for lunch and I scolded him saying "If you don't have enough for the class, you can't bring any!" I made someone smile and that felt good.
Oh and I did see my doctor earlier. He was pleased with my count, pleased that I was not nauseous and happy that I am handling things well. He did his patient dictation right there, and I swear that man could replace the one that did the Micro-Machine commercials!! I couldn't understand half of what he was saying, I never knew a doctor could speak so fast... holy crap!!
Another thing my angel told me... The American Cancer Society provides you with one free wig and if you sign up for "Look Good-Feel Good" you get over $200 in cosmetics, to help you feel beautiful why being as bald as a cue ball! You know I am going there!!! LOL
My water pill was in full force, and I was making constant trips to the bathroom. As I was leaving, I had to make one more trip. Speaking of trips... the nurse that teased my about my fainting? Well, just as I walked into the bathroom, I saw her trip on her own feet! I have to remind her, I should have sold tickets!
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