First day of chemo

Slept in late today and Noel cooked me a super yummy breakfast of macnut/cashew pancakes, over-easy egg, and bacon!!! Yummmmmmmm!!!

At Stanford, there are lots of cars constantly coming in/out of the patient parking lot. Noel drops me off while I get my labs done.

Laboratory @ 12:00pm
After registering, a tech brings me in for a blood draw. Please please don't put the line in my elbow!!! She asks me which arm, I tell her left... and she immediately goes for my elbow stating that most lab draws are done there. But wait, the line needs to stay in for the chemo. *Sniffle* Once she realized the simple blood draw also goes for the chemo infusion site, she asked me to wait for a nurse to place my peripheral line. In the end, the line gets placed near my left wrist. Not bad... I can still use my arm! *Wide grin*

MD appt @ 1:00pm
Waiting for this appointment, Noel and I play with our iPads... Me typing with the keyboard Hubby got me...makes typing soooooooo much easier! Yay!!! *thumbs up*

I see the PA (physician's assistant) first, then the MD. Both tell me more information about the chemo and Neulasta side effects and future expectations.

Infusion Center @ 2:00pm
I meet this super nice nurse who is totally on top of my chemo treatment and the potential side effects I may have. She actually listened to me about my allergies with ethanol and planned my meds acccordingly. First, she starts me out on just IV saline (water with a little salt) as my meds kick in: zofran (2), pepside, dexamethasone, and benedryl.

At 4:08pm, I official start my first chemo infusion of docetaxel... the nurse ramps up my meds from 10ml/hr to 20, 50, 75... I've got 250ml to get in me before the next chemo treatment starts. Then at 4:37pm, I start this infusion at 250ml/hr. Hurray, I'm only sleepy... probably from the benedryl. *wide grin* My stubborness is making me fight my sleepiness so I'm blogging instead! *wink*

Gemcitabine started at 5:42pm... this one makes my whole arm hurt! The nurse gave me a warm pack, kinda helps. I think the warmth is more of a distraction than taking away the pain... I take that back! The pain jumped back up as soon as the heat-pack rolled off my arm... okies, I need the heat pack!

Chemo infusion done at 6:40pm! Hurray!!!

Docetaxel:
*50% chance of producing some severe side effects as I get this infusion.
*Severe retension of fluid, but the corticosteroid is supposed to help.
*Infusion about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Gemcitabine:
*Overall fairly gentle, but can irritate the vien.
*Beware if my temp ever goes of 100.4F, I'll need to call in right away
*Can cause patches of rashes to form.
*Drops my blood plasma, meaning easy bruising and slower blood clot formations (nurse in the infusion center reccomends no paintball because of the potential for severe bruising).
*Infusion about 30-45 min.

Neulasta:
*Injection, potential to get it and inject myself at home. Per the PA, each shot costs $18,000 (this cost probably includes a hospital service fee because I checked my pending order at Walgreens and the cost would be $4,4274.09, if I get it, paid for by my insurance). *impish grin*
*Potential for severe bone or muscle ache for about 3 days. The sensations are strong enough some people have gotten scared and gone to the emergency room. *shiver*
*Purpose is to increase my white blood cell count for immune system protection that the chemo and steroids drop.
*Other option is to get Neupogen, which I can inject at home. This'll be a daily injection for 5 days post each chemo session.


Tomorrow:
I come back for my Neulasta shot at 2:50pm... maybe I should come earlier to check out their wig day? *impish grin*

Father God... Even though I trust that the side effects I get are the ones that you allow... coming into the cancer center today was really scary. I will continue to obey you, Father, and do this chemo as you've guided the doctors to provide... but I'm still nervous. Even though my whole future is unknown to me, it's comforting to make plans and hope for the future. So, Lord, please continue to give me reasons to hope and things to plan for.

When people ask me to go out... I realize that I hesitate because I'm not sure how I'll feel. Lord, I don't want the fear to stop me. Please help me make deciscions based not what on what I may or may not be able to do; but instead, be based on my current health. Lord, give me a heart to trust you in regards to any upcoming challenges and lay aside all the potentials. Please continue to help me review and acknowledge the best and the worst of each situation, accept it, and move on without dwelling of the "what if..." issues.

Lord, thank you that there were absolutely no major problems today!!!!

In Jesus' name I pray, amen.