Friday, November 14

Chemo 10

It is warm and sunny this morning, so Steve and I walk over to Fain 3.  I check in with Marissa, and get called back right away.  Since I am only receiving chemo this morning, things are simplified.  I don't even have to leave my pod to get my blood pressure and weight done, two nursing assistants come to me shortly after my blood is drawn.

Marisa

I let Faye know of my latest side effects,  mainly my feet being more tingly, and that I noticed a bruise on my foot this morning.  They are always asking about bruising, so I figure it must be significant.  I ask what would cause this, and she tells me it might be that I have a low white blood cell count.

While I am waiting, James Ford stops by to visit with me and Steven. We have a very pleasant visit as I sit there waiting to find out the verdict on my treatment.

It takes a long time for my results, which of course can only mean my white blood cell count is down.  After two and a half hours of waiting, I am told this is in fact the case, and I am given two options: I can have my treatment today, or I can wait a week and come back.  I don't really see what the problem is here, if I can have the treatment today, why on earth would I leave and wait another week.  I have already invested two and a half hours of waiting, and in another weeks time, I could actually be sick.  Right now, I feel fine, so why tempt fate?

After I let Faye know my decision, she tells me that we will switch to a three week schedule, to allow my white blood cell count to rise between treatments.  At this point I am over being annoyed or surprised.  This means I won't have to come in the day after Thanksgiving anyway, I will be back on December 5th.

Shortly after James leaves, I start my chemo, and feel very tired.  For the first time since I have been having these treatments, I take a little nap.  They give me benadryl to prevent the itchy hands, and that usually makes me fuzzy brained, but I have never felt like I needed to take a nap before. 

When I wake up, I find a text from Brett, who wants to know if I would like some company.  I would.  Steve needs to leave to attend an event downtown, so it is nice to have another visitor.  Since my appointment started at 8:20 this morning, I thought I would be all done by lunch time.  Now it is afternoon.  The yarn I brought to start a project turns out to be wrong for this particular project, so I don't have much to do.  I am glad that Brett has come by.  During our visit, as I am telling her about trying to explain my sloshy feet, she comes up with a brilliant analogy.  It feels like when you are standing close to the shoreline, where the waves wash over your feet, and then drag the sand out from under them as the water washes back into the ocean.  That I just the way my feet feet.

Just after Brett leaves, Kaileigh and Josh arrive.  Kaileigh thought she would not make it to the hospital today, but due to my late start, I am still there. Josh is on his way to New Jersey for the weekend, and is dropping Kaileigh off so that we can take Filipa out for her birthday this evening.  Josh visits for a short time, and then heads out to try and beat the Friday traffic.  Shortly after he leaves, I am hooked up to my pump, and ready to go myself. Kaileigh and I walk back to the house.  It is three thirty by the time I get home.

Around five, all of my kids appear, and we take Filipa out, first to the Gourmet House for some Asian food, then make a quick stop at my house for some cake and a Happy Birthday song. From there we go to see Big Hero 6, which turns out to be the perfect movie for celebrating Filipa!  It had so many things in it that she loves.  We all loved the movie too.

As I get ready for bed this evening, I find out how bad feet tingles can be.  I put on my pajamas standing on the rug which is on the tile floor in the bathroom.  When I step off the rug onto the cold floor, I get an intense and shocking tingling sensation in my feet.

I panic because there is no rug between the bathroom and my bedroom, so I run as quickly and lightly as I can to my room, calling to Steve that I can't give him a good night hug and kiss unless he comes to where I am.  Of course he comes in to see what is wrong, and I realize that my reaction is a little silly.  I could have put the socks on that I had just taken off before all this happened, but instead I had a panic moment. I put some socks on before I climb into my bed and hope things will feel better in the morning.