What was Chemo like?

Day one of Chemo what can I say…. The morning started out rougher then I had planned was up super early and felt super emotional about the day I had coming.

So my day started with a call to Adam as I knew he would make me feel better and offer me some encouraging words… and make me laugh as he always does. 

Well that worked for a little while until I started getting ready… then I started the sobbing again... This time Court cheered me up with a cuddle in her bed J

I am truly so blessed to have family, friends, work, nurses and doctors who are supporting me through this don’t know what I would do without you all in my life J

So now that I’m talking about all that sappy cry baby stuff let me tell you about the rest of my day and my Chemo! :P

Chemo ( Pictures below )

First thing in the morning Ingrid came to pick me up and we headed to Abbotsford Cancer Clinic – we had to get there early as I needed to have blood work done prior…. They forgot to mention that it would be not one simple vile but instead nine of them.. woah!  They also were a bit confused with one of the test as its part of the “Trial study” I’m in and needed to be shipped via air within 6 hours to somewhere in the US – so that was a lot of phone calls prior to the blood being taken so they could figure it out.

Once that was done we headed up for Chemo – with a brief stop at the gift shop where Ingrid bought me a beautiful cancer bracelet (we got matching ones).

So once upstairs my appointment was scheduled for 10:30 but they didn’t call me in until almost 11L30 or just before…. Then the nurse had to change my picc line bandages … she seemed less than impressed to have to do it as they had scheduled a triage nurse to come up and do it and she never showed until I was well underway with my chemo.

I had Ingrid taking picture of the procedures yesterday but I think what surprised me the most was the big red “Hazard” buckets and the full mask and gowns the nurses wear when dealing with the drug… Kind of scared me a little :P – Once that was done is was time for chemo drug number one… that last about 20 minutes - Then number two which lasted 2 hours – once that was done – number one again for 20 minutes – then number 3 for 15 – then time to hook up my pump ( picture below ) to take home and have one for 46 hours.

While I was getting Chemo Ingrid and I played some crib – had lots of healthy snacks…and I kept myself hydrated with Gatorade. I was more bored then tired and was very happy when Ingrid went down to the gift shop and got the cribbage board which will now stay in my chemo bag she got me (a nice big bag to keep all the things I take to chemo with me)

Once we were done we headed home with a brief stop at Walmart to pick up a few things as well as a stop to pick up dinner - Heather came by to watch movies and have dinner with us.. .during the movie we all fell asleep (myself, Adam and Heather lol) I guess we were all tired.

And that was my day… today I’m feel ok so far a bit nauseous ( the pills helped ) and feeling tired but other than that I’m good – Ohhh and I also cannot eat anything cold ( I know Tam NO ICE .. grrr ) but I’ll survive that … I went to drink a juice box from the fridge last night and it truly felt that my throat was closing in ( that’s one of the side effects ) I didn’t think it would be “THAT” bad… and ohhh it was lol. Lesson learned VERY quickly (no more cold food/drinks).

That’s it for today folks.. stay tuned for more J Love ya’s!

This is the Chemo Pump that I take home with me.

This is my Chemo pouch - it holds my chemo pump the 46hr one)

This is my nurse... All suited up eeek :P

Hazard bucket.... eek :/

All suited up throwing stuff in "Hazard" bucket - eeek lol.