I am Number Four" Chemo #4

Today is chemo #4.  It is getting harder emotionally and physically.  I'm doing this chemo at the Kennestone Hospital office instead of the one in Canton.  I usually have to go to the location my doctor is at that day.  Since I try to do it on Thursdays, I go where she goes.

As always, my appointment starts with accessing my port and blood work to be drawn before seeing Dr. Volas-Redd (my oncologist).  The nurse accessed the port and was able to get the saline to go into it to flush it but wasn't able to get any blood when pulling back on the syringe...which meant she wasn't able to draw my blood through it.  A sheath will sometimes form over a port because it is a foreign object to our body and this is our body's way of trying to protect itself.  They had me bend over, then raise my right arm and hold it there for a few minutes, and several other positions to try to get the blood to pull from it.  No such luck. The nurse had to use heparin to try and get it to open before they can start my fluids and chemo.  Remember how I mentioned in another post that I can taste the saline and heparin?  I was starting to get nauseated already, and we haven't even started the chemo yet.  What a glorious day this is going to be.  ***insert sarcasm here***

Now we have to use my arm.  My right arm.  I don't want to do this either, because I don't want to wear these veins out.  See, I can't use my left arm.  When you have lymph nodes removed you can get lymphedema if your blood pressure, blood is drawn, or an i.v. is done on the side the lymph nodes were removed.  So my right arm is the only option.

I got my Lupron injection today as well.  HOT FLASHES!

Once I finally made it to the infusion room, the heparin finally got the sheath on my port to open.  So we can finally get started.  My infusion starts with i.v. fluids, emend (for nausea), and steroids before the adriamycin (my chemo).  While doing this, I had an interesting man two seats down from me.   Eccentric is the word that comes to mind.  He was telling all of us about how they have goats/chickens/cats/dogs/etc and grow and raise almost all their food.  He was very entertaining.


Oh no!  Here comes the nurse with my tube of adriamycin.  If I throw myself in the floor and throw a tantrum like a two year old, do you think I could deter her?  As my bracelet says, "Courage" Dana.

While sitting here, I am on Facebook catching up with friends and family.  I just noticed my cousin Misty is in the ER at the hospital I am at.  I have been texting her to find out what is going on.  They are trying to rule out a blood clot in her leg.  Going to try to see her before we leave.  Want to see nurses panic?  Walk into the ER without hair and them know you are doing chemo.  This patient SHOULD NOT be in the ER with all these sick people.  I was given a mask to wear as a precaution since my white blood cell count is low.