carolmcb's Cancer Blog
December 8, 2007
| My Own Version of Black Friday | Views: 1374 |
Well, yesterday was chemo. It’s the short version with only Taxol, no Avastin.
I am now fixated on my temperature on chemo days. I should have taken it as soon as I got up. But decided to wait until after I had my shower and eaten breakfast. What a mistake. When I took it—100.3. Panic and terror. However, by the time we were in the car pulling into the medical center garage, it was 99.3. I think I may have taken too hot a shower. What a non-crisis I created.
The best we could do is a 2:00PM chemo appointment. But, sometimes (not always) you can get in early if you just show up early. I tried to get my husband rolling before noon so we could get my blood drawn before lunch time, but I failed. We got there while the “port nurse” was at lunch. In fact, she was late getting back from lunch. The “regular nurse” was just about to go ahead a draw my blood and then let the chemo nurses downstairs put in the tubing for chemo when the “port nurse” got back from lunch. She wasn’t the regular “port nurse” but one that had been borrowed from chemo. She was very nice but not as fast and efficient as the regular “port nurse”. She also had trouble with accessing the port and told me that she thought the port had slipped and turned sideways. When I asked if I shouldn’t report this to the doctor immediately, she said no since the doctor wouldn’t be able to do anything about the slippage. (I am telling the doctor. I know if the vein line crimps up I can be subject to blockage and infection.)
In any event, she took the blood and I got down to chemo early. Then we were just waiting for the blood results to start me up. My plan didn’t work very well today since I got called back only 10 minutes before my appointment time. Bottom line, I got hooked up 20 minutes past 2:00PM. My husband does not drive after dark. It’s a self-imposed ban but still very real to us. But, we still should have had time to have the treatment and get home before dark.
Usually the chemo area is freezing cold. I keep my coat on as well as use a blanket. Today, it was burning hot to me. I thought they had turned up the thermostat too high until I realized that I was having one of my night sweat episodes in the day time for the first time. I had never had night sweats in my life until the steroids from my first chemo treatment kicked in. At least, now I have some things else to bond with my sister-in-law over. She has suffered with them for years.
Well, it’s getting late now since my chemo nurse was tied up with another patient when it was time to start my Taxol. So that was 10 minutes lost. Still, we should have had just enough time to get home by dark. I see my nurse coming into the cubicle. OK, she will unhook me and we are out of here. No, I have what is called crisis blood work. My full blood work is back and all my values are “bad”. It may be that somehow my blood sample was messed up or I could be “pretty sick”. I am lost. They won’t start your treatment until they get your blood work. AH HA! I now learn that they wait only for your CBC and not the full blood work before they start your treatment. Anyway, I have to have my blood work done again. It will be done high priority but it will still take an hour. If the blood work is still “bad”, I will require 2 extra hours of infusion of electrolytes before I can go home. My nurse knows our situation regarding driving home in the dark and she has already called the hospital social worker regarding getting us a paid ride home.
My nurse tries to reassure us. But, I (trying to remain calm and cool externally) am in a panic. I (other than the new day sweat) feel fine. Some of the screwy values in my blood work would be indicative of a chemo patient having violent vomiting and dehydration for several days. I have had no such problems.
Well, bottom line—my retest was fine with all values where they should be. They have no idea how the first test got messed up. We took a taxi ride home paid for by the medical center. We have to negotiate with them on paying for the return taxi ride we have to take back to pick up our car that spent the night at the medical center parking garage. The social worker hadn’t taken that into account when she agreed to compensate us for their error.
This is one episode of “medical center mess up” that I am having a hard time finding amusing afterward. I know that mess ups happen. Tests can be wrong but how scary is that.
09.13.08 - 
Thanks for your support -
Carol – That sounds like an intense day. oh man! I hope you are relaxing today and feeling better. Snowy here in Colorado. I don’t plan to leave the house. Total rest day for me. ;-)
You poor dear. How stressful. I had a weird Friday too. All I had to do was get my Neulasta injection. It is 30 minutes to drive to the cancer center, and of course 30 minutes to get home. My son had an appointment and needed my car. So I allowed myslf 2 hours. One hour for travel and one hour at the center which is more than enough time for a shot! I waited 40 minutes and started getting anxious so I begged the office staff to call and see why I was waiting so long. She said I could go back and wait in the infusion center. When I got there, the nurses were talking about how slow it was and they were putting Christmas decorations and the I.V. pump stands! I got out of there after 65 minutes. Crazy. But I zoomed home and my son made his appointment.I think they forget that we have lives that require our attention and we are not just Cancer patients!
Gaile
I agree with the last post, they do forget we actually have lives outside of cancer and chemo.
I used to be very vocal when I was made to wait over 30 minutes. If the dr made me wait over 30 min I would cancel and make an appt for another day. If the chemo nurses were not paying attn to something I would say hey, have you forgotten…
I have very little patience when it comes to being inconvenienced. Our time is as important or even more so than theirs.
Donna
Carol,
Thank you for your support and yes you were right about the dehydration. I had never had that problem with the chemo in the past and we don’t know how this new drug is going to react we are learning as we go with this. So I am making sure I drink plenty of water and juice from now on. I am feeling a bit better today. The ER Dr. called and said he though that could of been some of my problems. I am glad that is something easily fixed
Thank you again it helps to hear other cancer patients with their experience to compare to I am sure glad I found this blog…
Cheryl
What can I say best laid planes never work out as you think they will. Take it easy today and try and enjoy the season,,,, Get a good rest…. :-)
Cheryl