One down, seven to go
I was really hoping to be able to tell everyone that this chemotherapy thing is a breeze. And partly, it's true. The actual administration of the drugs was painless, even pleasant. We had a private, comfortable room, and I had on my juicy couture sweats and had mom, dad, and Jason to keep me company:
Marie, the chemo nurse, is really experienced, calm, and encouraging. She expertly started an IV in my hand and then administered the anti-anxiety, anti-nausea, and steroid drugs. The chemo drugs are mixed by the oncology lab that same morning, so there was a little bit of a wait but not too long. The Adriamycin was first - it comes in a big syringe which Marie hooks up to the IV and pushes in manually to make sure it goes in correctly without any leakage. I was drinking cranberry juice, and the Adriamycin looked just like the juice: a bright, clear red.
I've heard Adriamycin nicknamed "the red devil" because of its color and of its effect on your body. But I don't really like to think of it as a devil. It's helping to cure me, and even though it may make me sick in the short term, in the long term, it's one of my giraffes.
The next drug was Cytoxan, which dripped in through a bag attached to the IV for about half an hour. It was all over in a little over an hour, and besides feeling a little woozy from the Ativan, I was fine. We dropped Jason off at work, drove back to the apartment to collect Nikita, and went to mom and dad's to spend the rest of the afternoon. Things started to deteriorate after a few hours... I mostly slept, and started developing a KILLER headache, of migraine proportion. Along with the headache came nausea, and yes, vomiting. Not fun. That was around 5pm, and then they drove me back to my apartment around 6. Still headachy and nauseated, but managing to keep things in control. Until about 9, when I lost it again. I finally crawled into bed and slept on and off for most of the night.
This morning, I feel MUCH better. The headache has finally subsided, and the nausea is much less. A nurse is coming today to teach me how to give myself injections of Neulasta (a drug to boost your white blood cells). I'm not really sure what the next few days hold, or the next few months for that matter. But I am keeping at the front of my mind that this is a HEALING process, and that I will be sick so that I will be better. Think giraffes, and rise above it all.
Marie, the chemo nurse, is really experienced, calm, and encouraging. She expertly started an IV in my hand and then administered the anti-anxiety, anti-nausea, and steroid drugs. The chemo drugs are mixed by the oncology lab that same morning, so there was a little bit of a wait but not too long. The Adriamycin was first - it comes in a big syringe which Marie hooks up to the IV and pushes in manually to make sure it goes in correctly without any leakage. I was drinking cranberry juice, and the Adriamycin looked just like the juice: a bright, clear red.
I've heard Adriamycin nicknamed "the red devil" because of its color and of its effect on your body. But I don't really like to think of it as a devil. It's helping to cure me, and even though it may make me sick in the short term, in the long term, it's one of my giraffes.
The next drug was Cytoxan, which dripped in through a bag attached to the IV for about half an hour. It was all over in a little over an hour, and besides feeling a little woozy from the Ativan, I was fine. We dropped Jason off at work, drove back to the apartment to collect Nikita, and went to mom and dad's to spend the rest of the afternoon. Things started to deteriorate after a few hours... I mostly slept, and started developing a KILLER headache, of migraine proportion. Along with the headache came nausea, and yes, vomiting. Not fun. That was around 5pm, and then they drove me back to my apartment around 6. Still headachy and nauseated, but managing to keep things in control. Until about 9, when I lost it again. I finally crawled into bed and slept on and off for most of the night.
This morning, I feel MUCH better. The headache has finally subsided, and the nausea is much less. A nurse is coming today to teach me how to give myself injections of Neulasta (a drug to boost your white blood cells). I'm not really sure what the next few days hold, or the next few months for that matter. But I am keeping at the front of my mind that this is a HEALING process, and that I will be sick so that I will be better. Think giraffes, and rise above it all.
posted by Rachel Troxell at 9:03 AM
3 Comments:
Hi Rachel
Just read your blog for the first time today. Your Mom told me about your meeting with Dr. Park.
Then I went off to Greece for a trip, so I'm just getting back and catching up on what has happened to you since then. I'm sorry you have to go through the awful ordeal of chemo.
I think your blog is brilliant, and you are a great writer. Think Book.
Check out the book Stick Figure, a diary of my former self by Lori Gottlieb. You can purchase the book on Amazon. Your writing style is similar to hers.
Keep thinking positive.
Judy Gelles
Rachel, You are a trooper. The RI Pet's are there with you in spirit. My first time on your blog or anyone's blog. Hope this makes it your way. Great to see you and the family on the web. The chronicle is moving and entertaining. Thank you for sharing...Russell, Karen, Jacob, and Anna
I was in the room with you Rachel but you just couldn't see me.
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