Chemo #1

 8/26/2022

Treatment begins

I arrive at the SugarHouse location of Huntsman, which is beautiful and clean at 8:20 am. 

8:30 am It starts with vitals: height/weight/BP. I usually refuse to be weighed, but they won't do treatment without it. 

Treatment begins with accessing my port, cleansing it and drawing blood to test to make sure my baselines are good before we begin. The results are back quickly and mine look good--blood cell counts, protein, liver function, etc. Now they can order my magic potions.

The infusion room is 12 areas separated by curtains. There is privacy and you can hear everything going on in the room.

9:30 am Nurse Betty, begins giving me saline, a steroid and some other potions for anti-nausea.

10 am My first chemo potion is infused. It comes in 3 large syringes. The liquid is red-this drug is nicknamed the "red devil;" it's real name is Adriamycin. From the beginning of the infusion, I have a funny taste/smell-kind of metallic, kind of odd. Nurse Betty has to add these syringes to my IV individually. I don't feel any changes right off besides the taste/smell thing.

Cheney helps me to the bathroom and my infusions come with me on a battery-operated infusion stand. He helps me mostly to make sure I don't fall down.

11 am My next cocktail is C. This one is a drip that is put directly into my IV. Again I don't feel much. I am able to snack, read, listen to chanting and meditation.

12 pm Infusions are done. A different nurse disconnects my port and cleans it out. We end with my most expensive potion being placed on the back of my arm that will go off in 27 hours. Neulasta gives me a immuno-boost to start rebuilding my immune system once the other magic potions have done their jobs.

12:30 we are on our way home.



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