Chemo #6 and the Port Adventure

Headed to Jax for Chemo #6. After the last few weeks of impacts on my blood levels and needing transfusions, I was not sure what the doctor would say about chemo #6. I got my blood work done and my COVID test. Then I went and met with him. The good news was my platelets and red blood cells were up. The white blood cells were a little low but everything was within the limits for chemo. However, since I had so many issues the past few weeks, he opted to drop the carboplatin so now I am just on maintenance chemo. I asked him if he thought this would have an impact because I was up for it but he did not think so. He told me that many people had not done as well as I had been doing. Although it did not agree at first, we agreed that I would get weekly blood work locally to get ahead of dropping numbers to avoid the dangerous levels I dealt with the previous two weeks. 

Next time we would be doing a scan so he we would definitely know more about what is happening. Hopefully, we will find that it has not grown. Additionally, he has two things that he is researching for our next meeting. The first is a Mayo clinical trial that might be opening up as well an immunotherapy that is in approval right now. I have an appointment with Moffitt this week, we will see what they have to say. 

Friday morning, we headed to Mayo for chemo. I told them when I checked in that I had an appointment for my port at 11 so please get me in. Apparently that was code for make her wait and wait and wait. They were an hour later getting me back to the room. Then the nurse came in to do my IV. I immediately knew with her first stick that was not going to work. It is never a good sign when they pull the needle out and there is no blood coming with it. Then she tried again....the minute it went in, I shock my head and grabbed my leg. She kept wiggling it and I knew it was not going to work. She finally pulled it out. Then looked at me and said, "I have a two stick rule." Little did she know, I do too. They called another nurse in, who got it on the first time. Although this time it swelled a little. Then chemo started. I am pretty sure she may have forgotten about me because at 11:10, I pushed the button to ask them to call the hospital to tell them I would be late for my port. She then came in, did my last drug. 

We were at the hospital by 12:10ish and they got me in pretty quick. I was smart enough to ask them to leave in my IV so that was one thing they would not have to do. They got me prepped then made me watch a video. I could have done without the video. It has more details then I really wanted to know, especially because they told me that I was not getting the anesthesia to put me to sleep. Instead I was just getting something to relax me and it "might" put me to sleep. I was not happy. I was clear that if I was not asleep, I did not want this. No one listened. They wheeled me into the operating room. They loaded me up with Fentanyl and Valium. Then they injected me with Lidocaine, which hurt. It was the worst of the entire thing but still. They put up a sheet to cover my face so I could not see what they were doing. I was in and out in one hour. We went and got me lunch since I had not really eaten much and then we headed home. 

 

I was left with two incisions. At this point, I had no idea how big they would be.

When I got home, we at dinner and then I feel asleep. I opted to sleep in my recliner so I did not roll over and hurt the two incisions. Apparently, my babies missed me because before my mom went to bed, she took the following picture:

 

When I woke up in the middle of the night, they were still there. Marmalade was in the chair behind me. 

I have slept and watched TV all weekend. Chemo just takes it all out of me. I am giving into whatever my body wants in order to fight this disease. I was hopeful now that I was only getting one drug, I would have more energy but I did not. Friday took a lot out of me.

Gearing up for the week.

For tonight . . . I'm just sayin' XOXO