Blossomy ....

Chemo diary cycle #2

The unit was very busy today, some people unexpectedly not recovered enough to be sent home from another ward. My start time was 11am but in fact it was nearer 2pm when I actually had the cannula fitted for chemo drugs. Up to that point, blood tests and lunch, and hardly a sign of staff.

I was in a 'pod' today, a tiny room with chair and table and not much room for anything else. Other times I've had a bed, but one of the poor sick souls had need of it today. My chair, though, was a recliner and comfy enough to snooze between times. The very young doctor who came to put in my cannula was embarrassed to keep bumping into things, causing him to drop bits of equipment. As he was so young and gorgeous, I forgave him instantly.

The oncologist, not so young and gorgeous but rather mature and suave, was pleased to find me cheerful, remembering back to this time 2 years ago when I was wheelchair-bound and very miserable with nausea. He prescribed the new mega anti nausea tablets for me again, one has to be taken one hour before chemo and the rest at prescribed intervals. Then more anti nausea and steroids via the cannula, all the while with saline drip drip dripping. Not painful or anything other than tedious.

Finally the chemo drug. Because it was cycle #2 I could reduce the time it takes to drip through from 1 hour to 45 minutes. Almost immediately I had a reaction, not terrible but not very pleasant either. My blood pressure shot up. Eventually I rang the bell, which I hate doing as nurses are so rushed off their feet. They confirmed it was an allergic reaction, and suddenly there was a great flurry of activity, the Big Cheese was called and decided to do what the nurse said we should do, oxygen was brought, anti histamine administered. I didn't actually need the oxygen thank goodness. Antihistamine worked and we eventually got back to the chemo drug at a very much reduced rate. I felt like I'd gone into shock and then come out of it, so had the usual wobbles that you get once the adrenalin has died away. My poor old body is feeling battered and decrepit (Chole please note) tonight.

After this little drama, one of the nurses brought in a Daniel Craig calender to show me, guaranteed to make the blood pressure rise again.....

All well, finished the treatment, notes made to reduce the rate of flow next time and include the anti-histamine in the pre meds. At this rate it will take longer for the pre meds than the chemo. My taxi arrived in the form of my husband, and home to a lovely dinner I didn't have to cook myself. which included raspberries and icecream. Yum.

The pictures is the orchard I blipped on chemo cycle#1 HERE, now well advanced and blossomy. I'll be catching it up in a few days.

Sorry, Hobbs, not a boat in sight, no matter how deviousI tried to be .

This is my 550 entry in this journal, and though not an official Blipday, I feel its worthy of note:-)