February 24, 2017

This was my third infusion. My cousin Kathryn took me. I had to be there about 10:30am and I had to have an MRI that lasted about 90 minutes. Kathryn came early and we went for breakfast. We stopped at a little bagel shop right around the corner from my house. We are breakfast then took some bagel and cream cheese to go for lunch and drinks. We headed over to FCCC ( Fox chase cancer center). I went right to labs. This is becoming second nature. Getting use to the routine. From labs, I went upstairs to get an MRI. This was a lengthy process and I was told last week to bring my medicTion as I would be in there awhile and they know laying that long causes get pain. So I check omg and sit down. I decide now would be perfect to take my pain pill. Well within 15 minutes I am ready for a nap. Thy lady calls me back and sets up a line in my arm for the dye. I ask her if it can stay since I have to get infusion. She says "absolutely". Anything to not be poked again with a damn needle. Now I can imagine what a pin cushion feels like. But I am trying to afoid a pick line in my chest. I can't work with one. So if that means a needle every week in my arm. Let's do it! She puts me on the table and explains I will be here for about 90 minutes! WTF. 90 minutes in the MRI machine. Jesus I am so glad I don't have Clausterphobic problems. I lay back close my eyes listen to the music and slowly go to sleep!

They pull me out to put in the dye for the other part. My hands and legs are completely numb. I ask to move my hands in a different position. They move them. I go back in and finish. The worse part was trying to stand up after. It was like walking on jello legs.

We went downstairs and  I checked into the counter and got a pager. So they hand out a pager for when your all ready to begin infusion, this way you don't have to sit right there. What happens is someone has to read your lab work to see if you need anything else, how everything is progressing and tell the doctor before you even go in. We sit and chat. Talk about different things. It is always good to have company. Mostly to help you laugh and remember there were good times and you will have them again! This is why you need "your people" or "your team". They need to be there support you and help you laugh your way through it. CANCER no matter how you look at it sucks and is fucking wrong. Your life gets twist turned upstide down and you don't understand why.but when you have people who you can intrust to get you through your whole life will make sense and fee much better.

Infusion was easy. We go back. I get weighed! FYI - that part SUCKS ASS... I am on a high dose of steroids in liquid form every week. So it is always fun to see that scale go from one number to a higher number weekly. And it doesn't matter what you eat. Because I barely eat some days. The liquid you drink is retained in your body. So all my hard work for 3 years getting down sizes and losing weight was for nothing.

Kathryn and I sit there. We try to play card but it was hard with an IV sticking out of my hand. Kathryn brought adult coloring books so we tried to color but again very difficult with the IV in my right hand. So I went to sleep for a little bit and turned on TV. Not much you can do there. It take about 2-3 hours for the IV fluids to be done. Once done I receive a chemo shot in my stomach every week. That is painful and burns. They say that is the best way to get it because if it is given through IV you will get pins and needles in your feet and hands. Well i have enough issues thanks.

So it is about 3:30. And we leave. Leaving FCCC at 3.30 is always fun. Traffic sucks and you don't get home till after 5pm. I always nap on the way home because I get so exhausted from the chemo that just hit my body.