On Wed, I caught up from my day of sleeping on Tuesday, and today, I fell asleep on the couch watching a movie. Seems to be a pattern. Oops. Time to catch up on yesterday’s big day
Wednesday was my last day of chemo. It was good to be through the first of my lasts.
It didn’t begin well, as an IV start was not to be had. This time, the nurse tried a number of pokes and fishing around to get the vein. I guess I have deep veins that like to slip away and are “tough”. Surprising, it didn’t hurt. I always figured when they were moving the needle around that it would be painful, but, it didn’t with this nurse. I called her the “vein whisperer” due to how she held her head close to the arm. After about 20min of attempts, a different nurse was called in, who did the same, and got one or so it seemed. When the test of the line was done though, it wasn’t in the vein, fluids were going in and bubbling up. At this point, they threw in the towel and went for the hand. I was good with that, but, they truly prefer not to. Reasonable amount of bruises from those pokes today.
T was there for the first chemo and the last chemo, and W popped in as well. What a time I have had with good friends hanging out with me for those hours. The time just flies by. I had my “message” quilt to keep me cozy, some treats and just relaxed. The room was crazy busy on Wednesday with the regulars, the first timers, and all the caring that you see each and every time you go of the newbies, the scared and the supported.
At the end of the session, we went and I rang the celebratory bell. It felt great. The nurses see you coming and smile, then the old-timers in treatment rooms and the waiting area hear the bell and start to smile, and applaud. They then explain it to the newbies who haven’t heard it before…and joy is spread through the clinic. It is a good thing which brings hope to all. It isn’t my #1 treatment, and I know not all chemotherapies are the same. Yet, it is a milestone that I am happy to have reached.
I arrived home, and shortly the wonderful dinner from SC arrived, complete with celebratory decorated loaf. As it would turn out, Wednesday night was a rough night…not much sleep was forthcoming. GI is just not sure which part of the spectrum it is on.
It was good to have such a good day to reflect back on.
I thankfully got to a solid sleep at 3:30am on and woke up at 6:30. It was time for the meds and they were needed, so…ate a meal, took meds and relaxed. Luckily I have been trained from years of IT work on working on little sleep and having naps.
M was getting up as I was going to sleep with gastro issues.
Time to exercise caution in the house. I am hoping it is food poisoning from a pizza he made and only he ate, rather than a bug that has come into the house.
For whatever reason, I have quit biting my nails through this process. Some would say that is due to the reduced stress of being off. They are likely partially right. I am also aware that germs are carried through your fingernails, so really bad to bite them when on treatment. Given M’s illness, I I decided to treat myself to a pedicure / manicure and get out of the house. They aren’t busy first thing in the morning and do a good job of ensuring no one sick is near me. Off I went, had a lovely conversation with the esthetician and have trimmed nails and pretty teal toe nails now.
Thursday is also a very light treatment day, and I was finally seeing my good friend J and hear about her holidays. So, another treat for today. It was great to have the time to visit and laugh and share stories. T joined us as well after, for a trip to a sensory-overload yarn store on the way home. Amazing place full of rich textures, colours and knitting.
My face was bloated earlier in the week from the steroids in what I now know is referred to as “moon face”. Little bumps are appearing again tonight, so odds are it will be quite cute tomorrow – like I need a fatter face! Oh, and did I mention, steroids can also mean you get grumpy quickly. Naps are a good thing. This is on top of the standard chipper, energized, hyper and hungry impacts.
Tonight, I am resorting to meds for the first time in the GI game, recognizing that diet doesn’t seem to be working and I don’t wish to risk being in the weekend in trouble. Doesn’t amuse me…hence the grumpy comment.
Hoping that this too shall pass (groan). The only thing constant is the passage of time, the knocking off of one more radiation, one more treatment, and time to be spent catching up with one more friend.
Those things are all things that I can celebrate.
Wednesday was my last day of chemo. It was good to be through the first of my lasts.
It didn’t begin well, as an IV start was not to be had. This time, the nurse tried a number of pokes and fishing around to get the vein. I guess I have deep veins that like to slip away and are “tough”. Surprising, it didn’t hurt. I always figured when they were moving the needle around that it would be painful, but, it didn’t with this nurse. I called her the “vein whisperer” due to how she held her head close to the arm. After about 20min of attempts, a different nurse was called in, who did the same, and got one or so it seemed. When the test of the line was done though, it wasn’t in the vein, fluids were going in and bubbling up. At this point, they threw in the towel and went for the hand. I was good with that, but, they truly prefer not to. Reasonable amount of bruises from those pokes today.
T was there for the first chemo and the last chemo, and W popped in as well. What a time I have had with good friends hanging out with me for those hours. The time just flies by. I had my “message” quilt to keep me cozy, some treats and just relaxed. The room was crazy busy on Wednesday with the regulars, the first timers, and all the caring that you see each and every time you go of the newbies, the scared and the supported.
At the end of the session, we went and I rang the celebratory bell. It felt great. The nurses see you coming and smile, then the old-timers in treatment rooms and the waiting area hear the bell and start to smile, and applaud. They then explain it to the newbies who haven’t heard it before…and joy is spread through the clinic. It is a good thing which brings hope to all. It isn’t my #1 treatment, and I know not all chemotherapies are the same. Yet, it is a milestone that I am happy to have reached.
I arrived home, and shortly the wonderful dinner from SC arrived, complete with celebratory decorated loaf. As it would turn out, Wednesday night was a rough night…not much sleep was forthcoming. GI is just not sure which part of the spectrum it is on.
It was good to have such a good day to reflect back on.
I thankfully got to a solid sleep at 3:30am on and woke up at 6:30. It was time for the meds and they were needed, so…ate a meal, took meds and relaxed. Luckily I have been trained from years of IT work on working on little sleep and having naps.
M was getting up as I was going to sleep with gastro issues.
Time to exercise caution in the house. I am hoping it is food poisoning from a pizza he made and only he ate, rather than a bug that has come into the house.
For whatever reason, I have quit biting my nails through this process. Some would say that is due to the reduced stress of being off. They are likely partially right. I am also aware that germs are carried through your fingernails, so really bad to bite them when on treatment. Given M’s illness, I I decided to treat myself to a pedicure / manicure and get out of the house. They aren’t busy first thing in the morning and do a good job of ensuring no one sick is near me. Off I went, had a lovely conversation with the esthetician and have trimmed nails and pretty teal toe nails now.
Thursday is also a very light treatment day, and I was finally seeing my good friend J and hear about her holidays. So, another treat for today. It was great to have the time to visit and laugh and share stories. T joined us as well after, for a trip to a sensory-overload yarn store on the way home. Amazing place full of rich textures, colours and knitting.
My face was bloated earlier in the week from the steroids in what I now know is referred to as “moon face”. Little bumps are appearing again tonight, so odds are it will be quite cute tomorrow – like I need a fatter face! Oh, and did I mention, steroids can also mean you get grumpy quickly. Naps are a good thing. This is on top of the standard chipper, energized, hyper and hungry impacts.
Tonight, I am resorting to meds for the first time in the GI game, recognizing that diet doesn’t seem to be working and I don’t wish to risk being in the weekend in trouble. Doesn’t amuse me…hence the grumpy comment.
Hoping that this too shall pass (groan). The only thing constant is the passage of time, the knocking off of one more radiation, one more treatment, and time to be spent catching up with one more friend.
Those things are all things that I can celebrate.
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