There's something quite funny about a nurse covered in a gown, gloves and mask pulling chemicals out of a bag marked, "biohazard" to put in your IV! It's as if to say "we can't touch this stuff but we are going to inject you with it." Ha!
Managed the Rituxan without having to stop the infusion yesterday (apparently it's a big deal that I didn't have to stop), but I made up for it once home as I had the the typical flu-like symptoms (chills, fever, headache). Felt okay this morning so we were all systems go for the C-H-O-P part of the R-CHOP regimen. It took about 4 hours. In September for my second cycle I will get it all in one day, whoopee. Tomorrow I go for a blood cell boosting shot that actually hurts the bones because it is a inflammatory that helps the bones produce bone marrow and ultimately blood. This is important because the higher the cell count the better able you are to fight off, or battle potential infections. Hopefully the alopecia (hair loss) will kick in soon because I have already had to shave my head twice since the initial shaving! Funny, when I had thinning hair I couldn't grow hair and now that I'm trying to keep it off my head I can't, lol.
Big thanks to my nurse, Lynn! She's from Western MA and has a bulldog I really want to steal. Also thanks to my friends Gladys, and Dan J., who visited me yesterday at the Cancer Center. And Dan C., who not only dropped me off this morning, but stayed for about an hour!
I thought the 100 mg. of prednesone (5 days in a row following treatment days) would have me bouncing off the walls, but so far it's not keeping me awake! Maybe the phenegran is helping with that, ha. I met a couple who are in their second battle with cancer. She beat lymphoma 6 years ago, but was diagnosed a few months ago with breast cancer! Yes, she is one tough cookie and new hero of mine. Today she was wearing what her husband called her "bad girl" wig. I couldn't even tell she had a wig on it looked so good. What a precious couple with a great sense of humor!
CANCER TIP OF THE DAY: Hard candy and mouth lozenges are your friend! Tip #2: If you know someone with cancer don't be afraid and don't avoid them because you don't know what to say. That will backfire and the person with the disease will be wondering what they've done to you to deserve the silence. Even if you don't know what to say just do what my friend Sam says: "Just be there, you don't have to say anything." He's right!
Okay so we'll see how the days that follow go. You hang in there and remember cancer can't steal love, or joy.
Romans 12:12
1 comment:
Hang in there Monty. Praying for you and your family from Kentucky. I appreciate your comment about talking to someone with cancer. My boss is a 2 time cancer survivor and this last one was NHL.
Post a Comment