First Infusion - June 30, 2014

June 30, 2014

My first day of treatment went by fast.  Not bad for having to sit around for 5 hours.







Like I wrote in my prior post, the whole experience was a lot like it is portrayed in the movies. The treatment room is a bright and sunny and is lined with recliners. When we first got there I was one of only two people in the center.  By the end of the afternoon every one of the 15 or so seats were occupied. People chatted quietly with their visitors, slept or read. It makes you wonder what their stories are. 

Dr. Brennan wanted to start my treatment right away so I didn't have time to get a port (portacath) installed.  For those unfamiliar, a port is a device that is surgically placed under the skin on your chest through which chemo can be infused and blood drawn. It is much easier and less painful to have a port so that they don't have to place an IV every time. Since I didn't have a port they had to run an IV through which the drugs were delivered. I received "pre-meds" (steroids, anti-nausea meds and benadryl) before the infusion started. Then the actual chemo drugs.  The typical regimen for Hodgkin's is a four drug combination of Adriamycin (the Red Devil), Bleomycin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine. The list of side effects for each is a mile long and flat out ugly.

Bradley stayed with me for the morning.  He is a faithful watchman.  Once I was settled in he let me rest. I cuddled up with my soft blanket, messed around on my computer and listened to music on my headphones.  I could only feel one of the medicines burn as it was going in (it left a trace of my blood vessel up my arm!). It was surprisingly comfortable considering my veins were literally being filled with poison. Mom brought me lunch and by that time I was really sleepy so I spent the rest of the day dozing.  They claim that you can drive yourself home from chemo if you want to but I just don't know how that is possible.  My head was so cloudy I probably would have failed a field sobriety test. 

Since that first treatment, the most significant side effect I have experienced has been fatigue.  I have also experienced loss of appetite in the couple of days following treatment, gotten mouth sores, had tingly fingers, and a weakened immune system which resulted in a nasty chest cold on the 4th.  My hair is still here but not for long.

With all of the messages of love and support I have gotten from family and friends my first day chemo wasn't so bad.  It is not going to be an easy 6 months but I know I can do this.