Hello again!
As we mentioned, our 3rd attempt at our 2nd chemo finally got underway Wed., January 11th, 2012. We didn’t have as much of the nervous anticipation lead up waiting for blood work this time since it was done the day before. We had our game faces on and our game plan mapped out before we got there for sure. Our appointment was for 9:15am. The drive was foggy but roads were good.
It was a quick wait for our pager to go off for once. I giggled and paused as the girl across from us waiting her turn commented that we were the lucky chosen ones when it did. Huh, funny, that’s what we called everybody last week!! Our Nurse, Michelle, met us at the door. We were taken to the opposite section from our 1st visit. We asked for a bed this time instead of the recliner since we were there for a long time (as since I had been up since 2am thanks to my brain/mental 'to do' never stopping list…thought I could have a nap too!!). We didn’t know they were in high demand (more chairs then beds). We got a bed at the end by a window again (spot “9B”). This time the bathroom was across the hall. That would come in handy when the kidney kick as we call it “Lasix” iv bag would start. Lasix stimulates kidneys since Ken’s chemo drug is very hard on the kidneys.
The nurse attempted to get the iv started. I could tell by the look on Ken’s face that it wasn’t going well. The vein had ‘rolled’ away as they called it and the needle wasn’t where they wanted it. She called another nurse to see if she could coax it in. No luck. Had to find another vein (after a short wait). Ken worried he was squeezing my hand too hard after they successfully found a willing one. “Nope”…insert... ‘it’s the least I can do’ except watch.
It was a full house. Every chair and bed was taken. People were lined up outside waiting to be ‘chosen’ when anyone was done. We’re like our own little club. An unfortunate bonding and concerned about what everyone’s story is. But time seems to go quickly and you don’t know where your place is to ask. We are all side by side and across from each other so we hear little pieces of a few stories.
There is a full range of patients there. 1st timers (oh yes, are we granted to feel like veterans…and want to see if we could help with just one little piece of advice that could help them with what we didn’t know?) to people who had been there many times before us. Young, old, curious. Many in our corner seemed to be on Cisplatin that day as well so we were most curious to hear/see their side effects from their last visit.
One young man was there we recognized as being through last week when we got rejected. He appears to be a regular and doesn’t stay long. Young meaning my daughters’ era so that’s just not fair. One person so frail & weak and sleeps the whole time. Another jovial older gentleman just happy to have the company and hard of hearing so talks loud. And the list goes on.
We were excited to see Alison our 1st chemo nurse who paid a visit (and told us how excited her daughter was for the Justin Bieber stuff). We sent her off with some mint smoothies from Rheo Thompsons for the group (a clinic favourite). We saw ‘Jeanette’ our chemo training nurse from afar. Peggy our Facilitator (“Ombudsman”) stopped by for a quick visit after she filled in the 411 for a new head & neck patient.
At 12:40pm the chemo (Cisplatin) drug was on the go. Funny, I remembered later that I didn’t hear the tick / drip sound as I did on round one. Do you get used to it? Also, during round one, Alison told us how chemo drugs ‘have a smell’ but she’s always around it and doesn’t notice it. But boy I could then! Having allergies I knew I was super sensitive to lots of smells. But round 2…I didn’t notice it. Was that good?! I did notice the chemo volume countdown was 666mg again. Enough said on what me the numbers person thought of that!!
Ken again, imagined the jug of juice as his ‘red wine’…I’m ‘in with the good out with the bad’!
The chemical portion of the battle was now on. Having chemo in your body is like having a pacman game happening, and the little yellow thing is going around your body, eating all the little cancer dots up. But don’t eat the ghosts this time…they are the good cells! We love that analogy and visualize it while it is happening and after. I remind Ken’s subconscious while he is sleeping to do it too!
Go ahead and try a game, and see if you are as good now as you were years ago at pacman.
We downloaded the Pacman app for Ipad on our 1st visit thanks to Ken, Sr. and his donation of his Ipad to Ken. Thankfully, we carry on quite a bit of business and have some distraction as well! Xx
We were done at 2:30pm and then it was off to radiation #25!!
Interesting to note for those following blood count #s: We asked Michelle to look up Ken’s blood counts from before he started treatments. All we knew from then was his platelet counts since that’s all they seemed worried about. So, on Nov.21st/11 his ANC count was 1.5! That is the minimum they will take to go ahead with chemo (Dec.5th/11). So we are thankful we even got the 1st chemo in when scheduled. No wonder they went down to 0.4 after chemo. ANC was at 1.8 before chemo #2 with white blood counts at 3.1 up from 2.5 & 1.8!!
Good job to Ken and everyone praying and hoping for an increase!!
xx
S
Keep in mind, as we do, everyone's journey is unique. Side effects may be similar or not at all similar. Hypochondriacs beware! You don't have to try everything or believe everything you read. 
