July 23 - 27, 2010

I'm catching up!


On Friday July 23, 2010 I had three appointments 1) Bloodwork at 12:45 pm, 2) Patient Review with the Medical Oncology team at 1:45 pm and 3) Radiation at 4:20pm.


I was in for a long day of waiting around....and all by myself too! Paul opted to work this day in order to catch up on missed work from golfing in our tournament on the Monday. I didn't mind being alone, it meant that I had some time to read.


It was a busy day in the Bloodwork clinic because I actually had to take a number when I got there! It took about 25 minutes to wait and 5 minutes in the chair. That was okay because by the time I got out of there I shouldn't have had long to wait for my next appointment. Wrong! I didn't get in to my next appointment until around 2:30pm.


As usual the Primary Nurse took me to an exam room and asked me all the necessary questions and took my vitals. I told her all about the events of the day before at the Golf Tournament and she wrote in my file that C'ND would be donating $10.500.00 to the clinic! She was very excited about it, as was I. She left me to change in to the gown and wait for the next person to see me.


So, I changed and waited....and waited...and read my book for a while. Finally another Doctor on my team came in to chat with me. I've only ever met this Doctor once at the very beginning of my treatment and it was only for a few seconds which was hardly enough time for me to form any kind of opinion of him.


Well...I now have an opinion! It was a weird check up....not as weird as the "hand up the shirt" docotor but still weird! He looked at my chart and fumbled around with the computer looking at my blood counts (which are good as always!) and asked me more questions about what I do for a living and about C'ND than anything else! I was beginning to think I should try selling him some oil! (for those of you who don't know....C'ND sells bulk & package lubricants, automotive & industrial...among other things) He didn't even examine me, I had to change in to the gwon for no reason....which by this time I was okay with, especially since Paul was not with me. He just sent me on my way!


So off to my radiation appointment I went....it was originally scheduled for 4:40 (and on a Friday!!) but was changed to 4:20 then 4:10. I went straight there and was walking out the door at 4:12pm!


After a long afternoon of waiting around I went straight home to pack up the car and it was off to the lake for the weekend!


When we arrived we visited with friends for a little while....then I thought maybe I should rest my eyes for about 20 minutes before we spent time around the camp fire, so I layed down on the bed. Three hours later I awoke, changed into my pj's and didn't open my eyes again for another 11 hours! I guess I was tired!....EXHAUSTED more like it. Oh well! I was very rested for Saturday! I spent it cleaning the inside of the trailer while Paul took care of the outside.


We took our time getting home on Sunday...I hate leaving there.


Monday I worked a full day...and almost missed my radiation appointment! Correction - I did miss it! I was busy working on something very important and didn't realize the time. I called the hospital immediately and they said they'd fit me in so I rushed over. Phew!! I'd hate for them to think I wasn't taking my treatment seriously!


Tuesday July 27, 2010 was another Chemo day! My daily radiation appointment was scheduled for 9:20...and I made it on time! With chemo scheduled for 10:15 am. Wtih a 9:20 appointment and no plans to go the office that day I took advantage of the extra time and slept in! Oh, so nice!


My Mom came to pick me up at 8:45 and we headed to the hospital. Radiation was done quickly and we went upstairs to wait for my Chemo appointment. We got settled in to our seats and were prepared to wait. A very nice woman named Carol stopped by to say hello and to ask me about my hat. On these treatment days I wear my pink C'ND hat with the ribbon on it...it's my favourite. I told her that they were made because of me and about our tournament. I told her that I would be bringing a sleeve of the hats up to the clinic when I brought our donation cheque and that she could have one. She was very happy to hear all about it! Carol told me that this was her 3rd bought of cancer...breast cancer 20 years ago when they removed her breast and she opted not to have it reconstructed because back then you came out looking worse than when you went in. Next she had ovarian cancer and now she is battling breast cancer again! She was great...so happy to be alive! I really enjoyed talking to her. I gave her my business card and told her that if she didn't get one of the hats that I brought up I would get one too her. Suddenly my pager went off and they were calling me in! Right at my appointment time!!


My Nurse, Anna, got me in to a chair and started warming my arm for the "vein hunt"! She tried first in my right arm because the last three treatments I've had were in my left and they don't want to wear them all out. She was unlucky in two spots in my right arm and so she asked another nurse, Dayna, to try my left arm. Apparently the rule of thumb is to try twice then ask for help! They found a suitable vein in my left arm but as soon as she stuck me the vein deflated!! It was at this time I asked God to help them...."please help them find a vein quickly...you know how I hate to be poked!"...he was listening! As Dayna was about to pull the needle out of it's location it started to draw blood up! However, she pulled too far...all the way out and I started bleeding and it was running down my arm on to the pillow! She quickly restuck me and we were off to the races!! They required two samples from me and those little vials filled very quickly. After a clean up Anna plugged in the drugs, got my frozen mitts and slippers and I was good to go for the hour it would take for the drug to empty in to me. Mom and I chatted about all sorts of things while we waited and it was over before we knew it.


Once we were out of the clinic we headed over to East Side Marios for lunch!


I've been having taste aversions with this phase...which I have to say, really sucks!! Some of the foods that I love now taste very bland or even like card board!! Sometimes I do come across something that is very tasty and I get all excited about it! I try to remember that this is only temporary but it is very frustruating! I love food!....it's not loving me right now.....


Well....that's it! I'm all caught up!