Chemo Day 2

Today started out with radiation therapy at 7am. Geoff and I got everyone up and moving bright and early. Initially we were going to drop the kids off so he could go to radiation with me, but in the end we decided it would be best for everyone if he dropped me off at the hospital and then took the kids to daycare.

So off I went to begin my usual routine. Today was my 6th radiation treatment which means that they do new films to recheck all their calibrations. It only took a few minutes longer so then I was off to my weekly appointment with my radiation oncologist.

The appointment was pretty uneventful. We talked about my nausea med choices and she decided to give me a different prescription since I've been hesitant to take the meds that I currently have. That was about it.

Then I went to have my port accessed and get lab draws. This went well too, other than the fact that my skin around my port is red, scaly and very irritated. Everyone is hesitant to touch it because it looks so "angry," but it wasn't too bad.

Geoff met up with me outside the cancer clinic lab and we headed to the chemo treatment area. I checked in and then went to the bathroom. When I came back Geoff had a strange look on my face and muttered something about "you aren't going to be very happy." I figured it couldn't be too bad...I'll admit I was surprised to find that there was a mix-up and no one ever scheduled my chemo for today. I headed back up to the desk to figure out what I was supposed to do. I mentioned that I had just met with my radiation oncologist 15 minutes ago and when I mentioned the name I was told not to worry about it, they would take care of it.

A few minutes later the receptionist/HUC came over to tell me that was getting it all worked out and that she was scheduling all the rest of my chemo appointments so this wouldn't happen again. It seemed like no big deal, but we had no idea that we would literally watch every single person in the crowded waiting room get called back in addition to a couple more not present once the waiting room emptied out over the course of the next 3+ hours.

I slept poorly last night and my neck was killing me. I kept telling myself how ridiculous I was being. I had consciously chosen to skip Ibuprofen this morning because I figured I'd be getting my chemo treatment soon after leaving home and knew the combinations of anti nausea meds would knock me out. I had not planned on sitting in a waiting room chair for hours and it didn't take long for me to get pretty cranky and uncomfortable. Geoff wasn't anymore thrilled with our circumstances so our conversations quickly spiraled downhill to harmless, self-entertaining inappropriateness. We sat in our corner and giggled and passed the time away until it really was our turn with a couple of accidental (well, the initial one anyway) visits from our superhero NP.

It's cheesy, but at least I look happy

My chemo nurse this week was once again amazing. She got me started on my pre-chemo fluids and make sure we were comfortable and then left us to play games and watch TV. After a little while I asked for a heat pack for my neck and that was all it took...next thing I knew we were both asleep. I woke up a few times to make bathroom trips but otherwise Geoff and I slept through the whole deal (again).

By the time I was about halfway home I actually felt better than when I had gone in this morning. I'm guessing I had needed some fluids. I had planned to go home and sleep but after we got home I was feeling well enough that I went with Geoff to pick up the kids. Then we had a lovely dinner with/by a friend. It was a great evening and I felt silly having a friend bring us dinner because I was feeling so well.

Tonight really was a gift. I am very appreciative of the time I got to spend with my family, friend and even neighbors, tonight. I was told multiple times today that I look great and I felt like it too. I'm pretty sure I am kicking cancer's butt. I know the bad days will be back soon enough, but I'm glad I got today. I really feel like I can say I'm 1/3 of the way done and next week I'll be halfway there (not including internal radiation).

The real icing on the cake was this was the third night in a row that our determined little man decided he would go potty before bed. This is really thanks to a very wise aunt of mine who suggested "a treasure box" of bribes...I won't deny that I was skeptical at first...E doesn't do anything unless it is his idea and his time. I decided match box cars are cheap and fun so I started buying them and putting them in a box. I told E about the box and showed him the box. Soon he started talking about the box and which cars he was going to pick first. I still didn't think it would work but I am pleasantly pleased. He gets up in the morning and starts chattering away about all of it too and tonight when he came home from daycare he wanted to sit on the potty before anything else. I'm going to hope that we are about 1/3 of the way there with potty training too and if we just keep up the consistency we'll soon find ourselves done with diapers (well, half of them anyway) and cancer.