First Chemo (Like a BOSS)

I'm now two days past my first chemo treatment.  Here's a recap of how it went:

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Today is chemo day!  In the moments before the alarm went off at 6am, I laid in bed and could feel Sweet Potato moving around pretty actively.  I nudged Jeremy and placed his hand in the right spot, just in time for him to feel kicks for the very first time!  It was a literal reminder that our baby boy is alive and kicking in there, and ready to put up a fight! Exactly what we needed to start the day.

We arrived at the hospital at 8am, got checked in, and a nurse took us to the chemo area. It was actually a pretty nice set-up.  There are a series of little rooms with walls on 3 sides; each nook is equipped with two recliner chairs, a TV, and all the necessary medical equipment.  Jeremy and I were given our own room, though sometimes if there are a lot of patients, both recliners might be used for treatments.  

The nurse gave me a warm blanket (heavenly), checked my vitals, and then got ready to access my port.  She suited up and gave me a protective mask to wear.  Safety first!  She instructed me to take a deep breath and I focused on the clock on the wall, not interested in watching any part of this process.  I definitely felt slight pressure and stinging, but overall it wasn't that bad.  She explained that it should get easier each time.  Jeremy was proud of himself for glancing in my general direction during the process; he figured it was the least he could do and I'm happy to report he didn't pass out!

Ready for the Red Devil

Stealing French Fries

The nurse then set me up with some IV fluids, and left us alone for about an hour. Jeremy nerded out by bringing his ABA textbook to catch up on some reading for his graduate class.  I played on my phone and drank a Capri Sun like an 8-year-old.  

Next up were two anti-nausea meds, which took about another hour to administer.  I think there were also some IV steroids thrown in the mix as well.  

Then it was time for the real stuff...Adriamycin, AKA " the red devil."  I'd heard some stories about this drug, and was admittedly apprehensive about it.  I mean, it obviously doesn't get that nickname for being pleasant! It arrived in a bag covered with warning signs and yellow caution tape.  It's bright red in color, appearing like an IV bag of Hawaiian Punch.  This will be my baby's first cocktail :(

The nurse explained that this drug has a tendency to seep into surrounding tissue when it's being administered.  Therefore, she had to actually sit with me and monitor the IV line every minute to ensure that it wasn't leaking anywhere.  I think this process took about 30 minutes or so.  I was then told that the next several times I use the bathroom, my pee will probably be bright red.  Good to know!  (And yes, if you're curious, this was confirmed shortly thereafter).

After that was another round of fluids, and then the second chemo drug, Cytoxan.  The biggest warning with this drug is that it can affect your kidneys, so staying hydrated is important.  The nurse didn't have to sit and monitor this one, so we ordered some lunch and pretty much relaxed.

I finished with another hefty dose of fluids, and then it was time for me to be dismissed! I got "unplugged," (which didn't hurt at all).  The nurses called in a prescription for Zofran, to address any nausea that might creep up once I'm at home.  We also reviewed all side effects of the meds, and I was told that I'd probably start feeling my worst in about two days.  If I developed a fever of 100 degrees or more, they wanted me to contact my oncologist, as this would be a sign of a developing infection.  

So, 6 and 1/2 hours later, we headed home, and I felt decent.  Tired, but decent.  One treatment down, and three more to go before we get to meet our sweet baby boy!

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Because I'm a rule follower and was told to drink lots of water, last night I woke up every hour like clockwork to use the bathroom.  Luckily, I'm stealthy like a ninja so I don't think I disturbed Jeremy too much, as he had to get up at 5:45am and head to work.  

I was given an oral steroid to take once a day, for the two days following chemo.  I believe the purpose of this is to help boost my WBC count, which is important to fight off infection.  The result was that today I felt energized and not sick at all.  I cleaned the toilets, vacuumed the entire house, emptied the dishwasher, went on a blog-writing binge, made a few phone calls and emails, completed some end-of-the-month reports for work, and made dinner.  Yay for productivity!

All in all, the effects from the first treatment haven't been that bad.  But, in talking to others who have already been down this road, it does get more difficult with each subsequent treatment. So for now, I'm just thankful for each day that I feel "normal" and am slowly saving my energy for the days I know I'll be needing it.