So, I had my first chemo 4 days ago. Then "hydration" the next day, along with a Neupogen shot. Another Neupogen shot the next day, AND I get another tomorrow and another the day after that. What is Neupogen, you may ask. It's a bone marrow stimulant with a reputation for causing bone pain. So I have that to look forward to. 😆
Seemed to lose a little more hair than usual while shampooing last night. I figure I'll be bald in 2-3 weeks. But I digress.
So, yesterday, 3 days after chemo, I just felt crappy. All that sleep I missed out on? I'm blessedly getting it back! So grateful I'm able to sleep because, frankly, unconsciousness is a blessing when one has a headache, fever, upset stomach, blah blah blah.
Now I don't know if my particular chemo office is typical or not but, judging from the info gleaned on the internet, it's decidedly low-rent. Expectation: Soothing, quiet, low-lit room with comfy recliners containing patients and their 1-2 supportive friends/family members who sit with them quietly playing board games, reading, or surfing the 'net on the free wi-fi provided. Or watching the television. Reality: Room too small for the dozen fake recliners (they don't seem to actually recline) with crappy linoleum, crappy lighting, no room for friends or family, NO wi-fi, 😲no TV...ugh. The upside is that it didn't take the 6 hours or so that I thought it would. More like 2+. Oh, and the room is rather warm, so the nice blanket I was given to ward off the chill has become superfluous. Hey, at least they'll give ya a pillow! I wish I could lie back and close my eyes but it's too upright. Whiney baby. That's moi. The staff is all very nice, however, I wish they would wear nametags like the doctors do. Because, being the daughter of an R.N., I want to know what the credentials are of the person administering my poison. Is that too much to ask? Yes. Yes, it is.
Well, I'm boring myself with my whining. I think... I think I just might be able to drive myself to get my shot tomorrow. Fingers crossed. 💉
My dad's experience with the chemo cafe was somewhere in between your expectation and your reality. Fake recliners, crappy linoleum, crappy lighting, some room for friend/family but not enough for everyone to have someone. But it did have wifi. Not that he used it. I agree with you on the name tags, it seems like you should get to know their names and their credentials.
ReplyDeleteUpside is the short duration and at least they're nice, and hopefully attentive. Next time you know to bring a book or something. For how many weeks do you have to do this thing?
BTW you get to whine. People fighting cancer get to whine as much as they want. The only thing you don't get to do is stop fighting it.
20 weeks! The first 8 are the worst drugs. And I only go once every other week. For chemo. So that's 4 treatments of icky chemo (as opposed to the really bitchen chemo). After that it's 12 weeks of once per week with less icky chemo. As for the chemo room, I'd be happy if the chairs reclined. Then I could just doze. Maybe they do. Maybe I'll force my chair. LOL.
DeleteTerry, I completely agree and empathize with your infusion center experiences. I feel fortunate by comparison; mine were delivered directly into the tumors arterial blood supplies under sterile conditions. The Interventional Radiologist administering the treatments made her own music mixes on CD to play as she worked, and both the radiology assistants and I enjoyed her custom musical taste... So I hope this goes more quickly and smoothly than this first experience has been. I agree with the advice to bring a book, and/or your own headphones for Spotify or Pandora music. They even have old stuff we remember dancing to in high school!
ReplyDeleteOld stuff? Oh, mystery person, how old do you think I AM? LOL. I'll be fine. All I really want is for my chair to RECLINE MORE. So I'm going to bring a hacksaw. Just in case. LOL.
DeleteHey, no chemo-brain, judging from this entry. Keep up the sass, Sis!
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