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Thursday, September 22, 2011

Step One

So here we are, done my first chemo treatment and waiting to see what will come of it.

So far, I feel fine. Sean is being the water nazi and making me drink and drink and drink. I have to flush my system because one of the drugs in my chemo cocktail can do a number on your bladder. They want you to pee a lot and not hold it so it doesn't do any damage. Interesting how the stuff the is supposed to save my life is so toxic.

I was a nervous wreck. First the nurse gave me 5 steroid pills plus two anti nausea pills. They put my IV in and the nurse brought out a tray with these giant (yeah giant!) syringes full of red goo (someone called it Red Devil)  She slowly injected this business into my IV. I was to tell her if I felt any burning and each time she did it I would feel pain for a second but then it would pass. I told her this. Well, by the time I was done the nurse who was taking my IV out noticed a lump in the spot where I felt the pain and commented on it. But then she seemed to brush me off when I was worried about it.

Wrong move. I'm a hypochondriac and I leveled with the nurse who was doing my chemo (not the same one who brushed me off ) and told her I am prone to anxiety and if you say this is a side affect, I'm going to think I have that side affect.

So I went upstairs to fill a prescription and get my Dr's note from my oncologist but I was still harping about this lump so I went back down to the chemo clinic and found my nurse and asked her about it. She thinks it was likely just the pressure on the vein and to watch it for colour change.

Sure enough, it feels better now, it's not as swollen and no colour change. Yay me!

So now I wait. I wait to see what types of side affects I'll have. My fingers are crossed that they are few and not severe.

1 treatment down, 5 to go. Step One - underway.

2 comments:

  1. Go get 'em! Be strong! Jody

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  2. Yeah Jean! And yeah for Sean as the liquid nazi... this is essential! Please please make sure you drink your liquids and flush your system and stay hydrated. My dad, who as you know is just finishing his first round of chemo (he is on week 4), was not as persistent in drinking water and became dehydrated. So stay hydrated and keep getting food and sustenance in you too! Stay strong lady! Can't wait till you beat this!

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