Chemo Day #11
- Deb Dekoff
- Dec 14, 2016
- 2 min read
Today was a very long day at the Huntsman.
Starting at 9:00am with an Echo - a test to see if my heart is having any "problems' due to the drug Herceptin. Here, an ultrasound is taken of my heart - the chambers, the amount of blood it is pumping, and this is compared to the previous Echo, prior to the start of chemo. Results : 3% less efficient.
10:00 Blood work. The port is accessed, blood drawn, and off I go, with a catheter dangling from under my shoulder. As much as I hate having a port, it makes this process so much easier - and it saves my veins.
10:30 And then, a visit to the PA and doctor.
How am I holding up? What concerns do I have? What questions do I have?
I have many questions, but not having written all of them down, I go by memory - and chemo memory is fleeting.
What's happening to my skin? What are these spots? (Chemo related)
When will I begin radiation? (Give the body a break first.)
What can I do to get rid of this chemo / dex weight gain? (Time and exercise and diet.)
Is this odd feeling in my fingers, like when you dip your fingers in wax and the wax shrank a little - is this neuropathy? (Yes.)
When can I return to work? (After you are healthy. Don't rush it - you can't. Heal first.)
What side effects might I experience from radiation? (Fatigue. Every day for 19 days - accumulating fatigue.)
12:30 And then chemo. The Yin and the Yang. First, it's the Dex. This drug causes weight gain, bloating in the face and belly, and makes me a bit more hyper - and it is impossible to sleep on a night Dex is in my body; yet it prevents nausea and allergic reactions to the Taxol.
I am happy today in that I have only one more Taxol treatment! I hate this drug and what it has done to me, yet, it is the drug that kills the fast growing cells. I ask the nurse and Bill to look at the time - and not tell me. Because I will tell them when 7 minutes have gone by. That's how long it takes for Taxol to affect my brain. Seven minutes.
I feel it, exactly 6 min and 30 seconds later. I'm literally intoxicated.
3:00 Catheter is removed from port. I can go home now.
I am so fortunate to have my man, my husband, my partner, my love, Bill, at my side each and every Tuesday. I could not do this without his love, kindness, and support.
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