25% Done with Chemo

First chemo infusion complete and so far so good. Slight stomach ache right now, but otherwise feeling pretty darn good. However, underlying stomach ache could also be from not sleeping too much over the weekend and dancing my face off at a friends wedding on Sunday.

Let's recap todays events.

I check in and am handed a pager. On that lights up and vibrates. The same kind you get when you are waiting to eat at Outback Steakhouse. It lets you know when you are ready for your vital signs (heart rate up a little bit more today, was a little anxious to get this started). It then beeps to let you know you will meet with the Nurse Practitioner and we reviewed all possible side effects (only one of them nausea is a possibility and thats why they give me anti nausea meds). She also told me because I am young and do not drink heavily that puts me at risk for nausea.  I thought, well if it would help I would shot gun two beers right now, but she said no drinking on the days of chemo. I love that because I follow a healthy lifestyle and rarely drink alcohol and I am a young women this makes me more prone to nausea.

Hair loss update
My mother and I both swear we heard the doctor tell us during our last visit it would be 3 days, but we were also absorbing a lot of information at the time and turns out that I will be bald in the most 3 weeks.   It turns out most people lose their hair between 2-3 weeks. Given the length of my hair my mother (and then the nurse practitioner again today) recommended I get my hair cut real short so I don't have continuing nightmares about all the hair I will find on my pillow or in the shower. I never had the guts to try a pixie cut, so we will see what that looks like!

Infusion time
After more instructions (mouth care is a must) and directions on taking anti-nausea meds as preventive measures they put the IV in and were ready to go. After the benedryl is infused to prevent an allergic reaction I have to pee. Me, the IV pole and my shadow, formerly know as my mother, head to the bathroom. Just me and the IV pole go in. Then first up is the more harsher of the two chemotherapy drugs Taxotere. This infuses for an hour and I eat the free lunch they gave me (turkey on white with potato chips and cookie) and the offer me a drink. The dietitian in me loved that they offer everyone an Ensure! How great is that! I chose water. Once Taxotere is done infusing (and another trip to pee) it was time to flush and lets just say my vein spasmed. Good lord that didn't feel good, but nothing a heat pack couldn't fix. Next up the cytoxan, which does not hurt going in but is dripping from a glass bottle. It only infuses for half and hour. The IV is flushed and removed and were done. No allergic reactions, no nausea and good to go home.

Game Day Apparel

Above is the shirt that I wore for my first chemo appointment. The shirts are made by Eyeful Beauty and the women who cuts my fathers hair gave it to him for me. I love it and find it perfect to wear to chemo infusions. 

On the way into the chemo infusion I was singing this song to my mother as I was going down the stairs. She was impressed.  

Tomorrow after work I will get my WBC booster shot. Lets hope I continue to feel this good (keep sending those good vibes, they are sooooo working) and next infusion is in 3 weeks.