How about now?

1 down, 3 to go. I survived my first chemo session. It was a long day! It started with a blood draw then a visit with the oncologist who was not impressed with my tan...go figure. From there, it was into the infusion room. They tuck you into a comfy recliner and get your IV started. The first medication given is called Aloxi (palonosetron HCL). This is a long acting anti-emetic in the family of zofran but lasts up to 4 days. Anti-emetics are drugs that control nausea and vomiting. After that it was a dose of IV decadron (a steroid) with some NS. From there, the big stuff: adriamycin and cytoxin. The drug infusions along with some IV fluids took 2.5 hours. Aside from the discomfort of the needlepokes, it was fine. I layed there and watched Grey's Anatomy on my iPod. We were at the Piper Center for about 5 hours. Poor baby Piper had to stay in her kennel for that time...it was a first.

When I got home I actually felt pretty good. I made some phone calls, did the dishes, etc. Mom and Bob arrived and made us a delicious dinner which tasted great to me. We then moved into the living room to watch the Twins opener. It was then the nause moved in. Throughout the evening it was tolerable but slowly worse. My demeanor changed from this first photo to this one taken at 12 noon, to the second one taken at about 10 pm last night. It continued to get bad until it was intolerable at about 1 am. The words of my nurse came back to me...stay on top of it! Use the drugs we give you. I finally took a dose of Ativan (lorazepam) and it seemed to help. This morning I am just a bit nauseated. I have compazine I can use as needed as well. My other post-chemo meds include decadron daily for the next 3 days, and zofran as well as the other anti-emetics. Today I have to have a subcutaneous (that's into the fat...of which I have plenty yet) injection of a drug called neulasta (pegfilgrastim). It is a bone marrow stimulator that increases the production of white blood cells so that you bounce back from your chemo runs more quickly. Apparently one of the side effects of this drug is bone pain as you marrow goes into overdrive. That side effect typically begins about 5 days after the dose, or right about the time the bad side effects from chemo start to wan...it could be a long week! I also learned yesterday that it could take 2 weeks before my hair falls out. I did check this morning, just to be sure it was still there. So far, so good.

One of the things I worried about was if I looked like a cancer patient when I went back to work after my surgery. At that time, I didn't. I felt good and looked like my usual self. So how 'bout now? Do I look like a cancer patient? Not really. I probably won't look like one until my hair is gone. Of at least that would be my take on it after spending yesterday in the chemo infusion room. The only other patient there with hair was wearing a wig. But even though I don't look like a cancer patient today, I feel more like one.

1 down, 3 to go.