carolmcb's Cancer Blog
December 15, 2007
Yesterday was my last chemo treatment before Christmas and the last before my “big tests” on December 28th.
It was an early appointment, 8:30AM. To get to the medical center and not get tied up in rush hour traffic meant we had to leave home early and get to the medical center early.
I checked my temperature when I got up. It was normal. Since the problem of the 100.7 temperature that I had when seeing my oncologist before Thanksgiving, I am fanatical about checking my temperature before any doctor visit or chemo treatment.
Since it was the long chemo treatment, Taxol and Avastin, we stopped to pick up coffee and biscuits on the way to the treatment. I was drinking down the hot coffee as quickly as possible since I have to do urine as well as blood on Avastin days. I had to make sure that I could make the proper “donation” when required.
We got to the medical center at 7:30 and I kept drinking coffee. At 7:45, they were taking patients for their blood and urine so I went ahead to have mine done. My favorite “port nurse” was there. She is so efficient. I asked about what her substitute had told me last week—that my port was twisted and turned and had dropped out of position. No, she said. It is in the same position and not twisted and turned in any way. What a relief. This is a nurse I trust totally. I also told her what had happened about my blood work last week and the crisis mode we had been in due to all my blood counts being off. She said that the medical center had 2 days of computer problems last week, Friday was one of them. She said that she wasn’t surprised that my blood work showed up wrong and that it was probably related to the computer problems. She also told me that it was a good thing that we were still in the chemo treatment area when the bad results had come back because they would have called us at home but we would have been sent to the ER and not back to the chemo treatment area. That would have been hours in the and hours of waiting and mess until it was resolved. And, we would have been charged with the ER visit even though the messed up blood work was the labs fault.
Well, we got to chemo early. Unfortunately, my chemo nurse wasn’t in yet. They put me in the secondary treatment area with a different nurse. Actually, the secondary treatment area is nicer than the primary area. The secondary treatment area is all individual rooms. Each room actually has a window! The secondary area is much smaller than the primary area with only about 8 rooms. The primary treatment area is much larger, has a couple of rooms but is mainly small cubicles separated by curtains. It’s very busy and rather noisy.
My substitute nurse was very nice, very efficient and very prompt. Since we were so early, there were almost no patients in the secondary area so she wasn’t split between multiple patients. The only issue was my temperature! What! It was 99.4 when the tech took my vitals. She asked if I had been drinking coffee. Yes, I had been drinking a lot of coffee. The temperature was not so high that I couldn’t have chemo but they would have to keep an eye on me. Well, the tech came back shortly and took my temp again. It was 99.8. What! I already know that at 100 everything stops and the doctor is called. She goes to report it to the nurse. I panic. I don’t feel ill and I don’t feel like I am running a fever. The nurse came in and took my temperature herself. Normal! These people may kill me off with a heart attack before the cancer gets me. At least the rest of chemo went like clockwork and we were out of there around 10:00.
As for today, so far no bad side effects. I am fatigued and don’t feel as well as I have been feeling. I hope that the cumulative effects of this round of chemo don’t kick in like they have before but we will have to wait and see. At least I have exited “cancer world” until after Christmas.
Wishing everyone and their families the very best Holiday Season they have ever had.
Thanks for your support - 
Congrats on your last treatment. I know what you mean about the temp thing for me it’s my Blood Pressure. I watch it so carefully day or two before my treatments if its to high they won’t give it to me. Any postponement is head ache. Enjoy the holidays and I pray you will feel good thought out the season…
Cheryl
Carol, have a very Merry Christmas. I’m praying for nothing but good news to come your way. Hugs…Grace