first chemo yesterday

On Friday I had my first chemo. My friend Robin, of 20 years, went with me and it went ok. I met with a dietitan before the chemo and she was so helpful. I've been having some issues with my bowels every since the surgery. She asked me what I'm eating and told me I was eating all the wrong foods. She made some new suggestions, and when she explained how my body was digesting foods differently than other people, it all made sense. I can eat whatever I want but with moderation and some modifications to the foods. The chemo causes constipation so this is working in my favor right now too. I had a normal bowel movement after chemo yesterday, go Mom.
When Robin and I talked to the Dr. and the chemo nurse on Wed., we came out feeling like they weren't listening to me. They told me they were going to give me 25 mg. of Benadryl before the first chemo drug and then 25 mg. before the second chemo drug. I told them I was ultra-drug sensitive and that we might want to consider a lower dosage.
On Friday they started the Benadryl and within 2 minutes, I told Robin the IV was feeling very cold. She called them over, they said that was perfectly normal, I told them the IV was feeling like ice cubes and was beginning to burn, and then I told them the things across the room were starting to float and I was beginning to float as well. They told me close my eyes and stay with them. After about 2 min. more they asked me how the IV was feeling and I told them it was ok. They asked me to open my eyes. Things across the room weren't floating, but they looked wavy. They asked me if the wavy stuff was making me feel nauseous and I told them no. They told me that it was ok if I was floating and that I just needed to let the Benadryl put me to sleep. I heard them tell Robin that I did have a bad reaction to the drug, but they slowed the IV down half as fast, it seemed like I could tolerate that level. I slept for 2 1/2 hr. and when I woke up I was still sleepy but ok. They were supposed to administer the chemo drugs a little slower the first time but they didn't. They also didn't give me more Benadryl before the 2nd chemo drug and we noticed that the presciptions that they sent me home with were cut in half. They finally listened

Last night I should have felt nauseous before bedtime but I didn't. They gave me something to help me go to sleep, but the Benadryl hadn't worn off yet. In fact I could hardly keep my eyes open all afternoon so I went to bed at 10 last night and slept all night long.

Today I should have flu like symptoms and feel all achy but I don't. I had a meeting at church from 10-1, then I stopped and grabbed a few groceries, came home and rested all afternoon and I'm feeling like my old self. Tomorrow I should feel horrible, Monday I should feel flu like again and by Tues. I should be normal. We'll see. . .

I have lab work scheduled on Monday a.m. Aug. 11 and then I'm planning on leaving for Indiana on Tues, Aug 12 and staying until the following Monday. It'll feel good to see everyone back there and it will be a nice break for me. I get so pampered when I'm there. It's like a vacation. I laugh and have a great time. I want to go now because the effects of chemo are accumulative so each treatment gets harder. I only have 5 more to go.

So many people are praying and so many people have sent cards. I have over 100 gracing my bedroom wall now, and more just keep pouring in.

I'm still waiting for that first Social Security check to get into my checking account. It should be any day now. Yesterday at Rex, when they went to use my debit card to pay for my $9 worth of prescriptions, they told me that they had made a mistake and that they needed to do it again. When I checked my online banking today, they had taken out $27.60 total instead of just $9.
Columbiahouse, my DVD online company just took out another $25.54 for a DVD that I had already declined online, so now they have over $50 of my money that I'll need to try and get back. The only good financial news that I've had recently, is that my $53 prescription for my HRT patch that I have to change every 3 1/2 days to 4 is now only costing me $3 thanks to the Medicaid I'm now receiving. I think I can turn in my receipts for the other two I've already paid out and they'll reimburse me, we'll see.

As far as my personal life, I feel like it's on hold most days. Shannon keeps in touch pretty much on a regular basis, and since my last Blog, Katie is returning my cell phone calls. I know that she still loves me and her not returning my calls is not personal at all, but I just need to hear her voice. It would be nice if she even just called once a week and said "Mom I only have 5 minutes before I need to go, but how's it going?" I could handle that. I just need to hear her voice and know that I'm important enough for her to take the time to see how I'm doing. Dinner, in or out, once a month would be nice too, but I know she's very busy. It's a busy time in her life, I get that, I just want to be a small part of that busyness. I love her so much!!

My church life has changed dramatically. I've had to drop out of working with the kids and I miss them so much. I try every two weeks or so to stop in and say hello. I love the hugs and kisses they give. They have great teachers replacing Jackie and I and they're doing fine. I'm struggling more than they are. I like my new S.S. class. It's nice being with all women about my age. Diane Sims is a great teacher. She's so compassionate and sweet. She emails me almost everyday and I know how busy she is. I've been able to stay with the music teams and choir. I'm grateful for that. They're willing to let me join them whenever I feel up to it. I couldn't ask for anything more. I would miss the singing probably more than anything else I do there. At least I still have that.

It's been fun going out for breakfast, lunch or dinner with friends and it's great seeing everyone and just relaxing most days. I haven't had a break in years, so this is all new to me. I miss seeing my clients every other week, but hopefully I can go visiting them soon. They all email or call, so we haven't lost touch. Maria Sanchez has taken most of my clients and Jackie Cooper has interviewed a couple of them. It think it's going ok.

I try and schedule something to do most days, just so I have something to look forward to. It helps me keep going and gets me out of bed. Not that the cats don't help in that dept. I'll be glad when the sun stops coming up so early. Most days they're both jumping on my bed at 5a.m. and wanting me to open the back door so they can be on the porch, so I get up and open the bedroom window so Skittles can climb through , otherwise he'll whine at the window until I open it, then feed the outdoor cats their breakfast, let Buttons have his a.m. drink from the tub spout, and by then I'm wide awake so I watch a movie in the living room and go back to sleep until 8 when I start my day. Cats. . .you've gotta love them. . .

I still want to see Get Smart. Maybe I'll quit blogging today and look and see where it's playing. I'm waiting for it to go to the $1.50 theatre. I blog too long anyways, but the way I look at it, this isn't really a blog, it's my diary. I've never been brief telling anything, so why would my blog be any different.

More another day. . .