Seventy Five

Today was my 6th chemo treatment. I'm 75% of the way done. I can't believe I have made it this far.

Here's a typical chemo day for me. Up at 6:30 or 7 for meditation and quiet time. Snuggle with Grace on the couch. Shower, get ready, eat breakfast, and make Grace's lunch. All 3 of us drive to school. Get home around 9. Apply makeup. This is a crucial step. Without eyeliner and mascara, I look like an alien. I finish selecting my outfit (hey, I'm a girl!) and then start packing to go to the Cancer Center.

On my list: healthy lunch of beans, rice, and spinach. Snacks of raw almonds and garden carrots. Dark chocolate to help with the nasty taste of the port flushes. my iTouch. Chapstick. L-Glutamine supplement to minimize neuropathy symptoms of the chemo. Pen and notebook. Green smoothie in a jar (carrrots. kale, apple, banana, cranberry, spinach). Books. Today's selection are "William the Conqueror" and "Tortilla Flat" by Steinbeck. Dang, in all the rush I have forgotten to pack my camera.

My friend Judy was my chemo buddy today. She's a retired nurse who oversees the Outreach committee at St. James Episcopal. She picked me up around 10.

First order of business is the blood draw. My friend MJ showed up to say hello and we were able to harass our friend, Chris, the phlebotomist. Last time, MJ was my chemo buddy and Chris asked if she was my mother. When he discovered she's not, he was very embarrassed, and MJ hasn't let him live it down since. Anyone walking by the lab today would have wondered what was going on because we were laughing so much.

Next is waiting. Then meet with the doctor. Here I have to pause and say how much I like my oncologist, Dr. H. He's smart, calm, and thoughtful, and I feel as if I'm in good hands. He lets me push back on his opinions without getting defensive or ruffled and takes the time to listen to my concerns. Today I brought him some produce from my garden: Brussel sprouts, kale, and a leek. He said today was the first day he's seen me in there with a big smile. Maybe that's a good thing, or maybe it's just the Atavan. Who knows?

The final step is going to the infusion room and getting hooked up to the IV pump. By this time it's about noon. I am becoming so familiar with this place, I have already put my lunch in the refrigerator and said hello to all the nurses and R, the volunteer. I choose my station and sit down in the mauve vinyl recliner. It's best to get comfortable, because it lasts for hours. I unpack my bag and lay out my things on the nightstand beside me. R brings me two blankets from the warmer and a fluffy pillow.

The nurse comes and hooks me up to the machine. It doesn't hurt. Chris left the line to my port in after the blood draw. So all the nurse does is connect the 2 lines and I am good to go. Saline comes first. Then Pepcid and Benadryl. Decadron (the nasty steroid) goes in third. And finally comes Taxol. By the time I get the Taxol, I am feeling very woozy from the Benadryl and sack out. The taxol itself takes 3 hours to infuse, so I have plenty of time to nap. Somewhere in there, Brett shows up to visit and we watch a little TV.

When I first started chemo I had the delusional idea that I would take my laptop and get some work done. But with all the drugs they give me, my mind is an addled mess of unfocused jello. I'm doing good to string a subject and verb together. People magazine and reality TV are just exactly the level of intellectual engagement I can handle. At least I don't have drool coming out the corner of my mouth. But there's still time.

The infusion ends around 4 pm, and Judy takes me home. On chemo days, Grace goes to a friend's house to play until 5. I crash in bed until supper, which brings me to now, where I'm crashed on my Diva Couch, documenting my day.

I get to scheme my way out of kitchen cleanup on chemo days, since I get dizzy when I stand up. It's a terrible excuse, but I have to play the Cancer Card when I can. Membership has its privileges. My Amazing Husband has cleaned up the kitchen for me. He and Grace managed to slip away after supper to enjoy their first sledding of the season.

That's all for now,
Susan