This morning was my first 'party', and to prepare I took the first $100 Emend pill. (At every stage today, everyone asked to make sure I'd taken it. Why wouldn't I? Who wants to pray to the porcelain god?)
Before I could start 'drinking' I saw the oncologist and got the results of yesterday's labwork. Happily they showed that all systems are GO. (PLUS she said my port had healed very nicely, and I may get in the hot tub!)
So it was off to the Chemo Room to get started. The two nurses in there agreed that my port looked better than many that come in. First came saline, to flush the line and make sure it's working properly. (It was.) Next came the pre-chemo drugs: Dexamethazone, a steroid to prevent a reaction to the chemo, and then Aloxi, another anti-nausea drug.
Then I was ready for the 'harder' stuff. First at bat was Adriamycin (with saline, to dilute) which is bright red (and thus I will be peeing red for the next couple of days.... glad I was warned!) and is today's drug likely to cause nausea. Next came Cytoxin, which causes bladder irritation, so I'm going to have to drink lots of water in the next 48 hours - not really a problem for me!
Tonight I start another anti-nausea med (Ondansetron) every 8 hours for the next 48 hours. The next two mornings I take the remaining 2 Emend pills. In between doses of the Ondansetron I can take Prochlorperazine every 4-6 hours for nausea/vomiting.
I did not get Benadryl with my cocktail (that will come in 12 weeks, when I start on the Taxol) so I'm not falling asleep, and actually feel just fine. It will take several days for whatever side effects to kick in. But so far, so good!
As Bev said, it was like a day at the spa. I read, worked on needlework, nibbled on almonds, and generally relaxed in the recliner. Life is good!
Glad your first day at the spa went well. Too bad we have this in common, but so glad we can share our thoughts. Hope you don't have the nausea. I still have my nausea meds from my first rounds of chemo, but never used. Hope I won't need them this time either. Hope you won't be needing yours. Having them is like carrying an umbrella to ensure it won't rain :)
ReplyDeleteI use that same philosophy. Told Tom to bring a puke bucket with him when he came to pick me up, although I'm so anti-nausea medicated at this point it's not likely to show up until at least several days later. Still - never hurts to pack that umbrella! :-)
DeleteBobbi and Beverly, you two are barometers right now for anything grumpy that might come my way. I will look to you for attitude adjustments:) Love surrounds you!
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