2nd chemo.... done.

Well, its been a while since I've updated.  A lot has happened.

I took my 1st chemo very well. Had virtually NO side effects until Saturday night around 8:30pm.  It hit me fast and hard.  I spent 2 hours in the bathroom with something coming out of one end or the other. (sorry...but its true)   Around 11:30 I walked down the hallway to get some Sprite and crackers and was met by one of my son's friends who was asking if he was home.  He had 30 minutes before curfew was up so I answered with "No, why would he be home early?"  LOL   It was then I learned that my son and his other friend had been jumped by a group of 3 guys and his friend wound up in the ER room while Jordan took off running on foot and nobody knew where he was.   Talk about making me feel sick all over again.  He is ok now...  so I won't bore you with the details of that ordeal.  It breaks my heart every time I think about it.

So I was sick Saturday night... felt like crap Sunday but felt better by Monday.   Tuesday (yesterday) was chemo #2.  Mitch had to work so I had 2 of my best friends offer to take me.  I have to say it was one of the best days I've had in a while. We talked all the way to N'ville (one person, in-particular... LOL ), Leeann and Marnie got to see the whole "infusion" process and kept me company while I was getting my treatment.  The benadryl bag got the best of me and as hard as it was to stay awake,  I just couldn't do it.  I think Leeann and Marnie went shopping a while during my  nap... I woke up and they were gone, and when I looked outside, I saw Leeann's car leaving the parking lot.  (LOL)   My nurse bragged on how great our friendship was and told me I was lucky to have such awesome friends.  I already knew that.  I told her I had several more at home that were just as special and I almost started crying when I got to thinking about how lucky I am to have so many great friends.  I mean, I wonder who would give up their entire day,  drive 2 & 1/2 hours to sit and watch me be hooked up to 5 different bags of medicine, sit there for another 2 hours while the stuff is pumped into my body, and then drive home 2 &1/2 hours???   Leeann and Marnie did it and I know there are several others that would do it too.  My husband has been with me almost every step of the way. He has missed several regular shifts and a few overtime shifts just to go with me to appointments. My (divorced) parents have been with me most of the time. My sister in Huntsville (with 4 small children at home) has sacrificed time away from her family to be with me on trips.  I am blessed beyond measure in so many ways.

Ok.. I got off track a little.  LOL    So, back to the "Girls Day Out at Camp Chemo"  ....   after my infusion was done, we hit the road back to Muscle Shoals. Or so we thought.  Since Leeann's On Star operator was being a b*tch, we had to rely on my cellphone's Navigation app to guide us home.  It failed.  We ended up riding around some quaint little city called Cornersville.  It only delayed our time by about 45 minutes. We laughed about being lost, about how Leeann would either burn us up or freeze us out... just being silly and spending some girl time together.  It made me forget why I even had to be in Nashville in the first place.

Today I have felt good... I'm sure it is the steroids. lol    The nurse did tell me yesterday that the best treatment for nausea is prevention.  SO, she wanted me to add 1/2 a Phenegran and an Ativan each night before going to bed.  So now, I take Zofran, Phenegran and Ativan.  I'm taking more medicine than my 88 yr old grandmother.  LOL  THANK GOD FOR INSURANCE.    (I shudder to think about how much each treatment is costing)

I suppose that is about all that has happened lately.   My next trip to Nashville will be a busy one.  Urologist appointment at 8am (to discuss my kidney issue), labs at 11, see my oncologist at 1 (to figure out the plan for the spot on my spine)  and my infusion at 1.   That will be my 3rd chemo and I'm curious to see how I'll be feeling. I hope no different than I am now.  My benefit will be that weekend so I am praying I'll feel like attending it.  I know a lot of people have gone to a lot of work for it and it should be pretty awesome.  :)

Tomorrow is a big day for me. I'll post a blog about it either tomorrow night or Friday.  I'm sure some of you already know-- but I just don't think I have it in me to write about it tonight.  Phenegran is kicking in.  lol  (I took a whole one tonight to counter the steroids) 

All in all..... I think I've done pretty well with the chemo. So far, so good.  :)

Love you all!