Yesterday was my first round of Chemo. As I mentioned in earlier posts, the docs had found a blood clot in my leg and my lung. I remained in the hospital to make sure my I&R levels (having to do with the viscosity of the blood) were between 2-3.
Basically, if levels are too high then the blood is too thin and you bleed from your gums, nose, etc. They thought it would be best just to remain at St. Joes through the chemo treatment. I was very excited about this. As an inpatient, I would have my own private room and have the chemo treatment in my bed with lots of privacy. Normally, chemo treatment is done as outpatient and you are in a room for hours with several other people and there is not a lot of privacy.
So, my first experience wasn’t all that bad. The first two 1/2 hours was a hydrating drip, then hour 1/2 of the chemo, and then another 2 hours of hydrating stuff. I think there was another treatment mixed in there at some point because I remember the nurse making me lay down to make sure my blood pressure wasn’t rising. I had friends in an out all day throughout the treatment and it definitely helped the time pass. I think I fell asleep a couple times, but don’t quite remember who was there and when I was sleeping.
I was finally discharged last night and home at last. I had a pile of mail and gifts that I just opened today. Thanks Everyone! One of the gifts I received was a $25 gift card for itunes, but it didn’t have a name of who it was from. If you are reading this please let me know! =)
Today I woke up extremely sore and tired. I feel fried! In the hospital, I would have nurses waking me up throughout the night checking my vitals and it would remind me to take my pain killers. Last night I slept the entire night through and didn’t take anything until 6am…which was a little too late. Pain had already set in. It is the strangest thing when you are in so much pain you actually feel like death is near.
I had a doc appointment at 8am to have my blood checked. I grudgingly went to shower and then immediately felt light headed and dizzy. My dad and I (who is the caregiver of the week), moved the appointment back and eventually made it at 10am. The good news is that my blood levels are where the docs had wanted so that means I don’t need to go get it checked again tomorrow. Yeah!
An old friend, Bryan Martin came over today. I used to work with him when I started at azfamily/Ch3 almost 7 years ago! We always had good times together. I haven’t seen him in such a long time! I guess even though some friends you don’t see them everyday they are still close to you in your heart.
The rest of the day was spent sleeping. My body is sooooo tired. It is almost indescribable. I feel like I ran a marathon without any water or food and smoked twenty cigarettes while doing it. Normally, one would feel tired mentally, or maybe tired in some muscles. This chemo takes it ALL. I feel tired to the bone. Every organ in my body feels fried. I just woke up about an hour ago and trying to take advantage of the energy I have to update everyone and force myself to eat and drink as much as possible. Today was a really emotional day. For some reason this morning and afternoon I think I was sadder than I have been this entire time. I can’t explain why, but maybe it’s just the feeling of being home and somewhat normal, but my life feels like it’s on hold. Friends are still going to work, moving forward, going on vacations and having fun. It makes me sad to think that I am not able to do these things…at least for now. Today was such a beautiful day outside and it would have been so nice to barbeque or go for a hike. All I could do today is sleep.
On a positive note, I feel relatively okay. The nurses say that with the chemo treatment I am on (Cisplatin & Ulimpta), the nausea doesn’t kick in until the third day. I am praying that this is the worst I feel. . I HATE nausea! When I’m nauseated I can’t go anywhere or do anything and it hurts just to have a conversation with someone. They say that the first week of chemo, one feels extremely tired and nauseated. By the second and third week, one starts feeling normal again. In the third week, some people even go back to work full time. I am looking forward to seeing how my body reacts to the treatment. Each Chemo cyle I go through is supposed to make me more tired, etc. At the end of the sixth cycle, the docs will determine if I should continue with chemo or not.