FIRST CHEMO TREATMENT COMPLETED

Our little ship got underway yesterday for the first chemo treatment. My blood pressure was about off the charts so they called the doc and she ordered some meds to lower it otherwise they weren't going to give me the drugs. They told me the Benadryl would make me sleepy but it's never made me sleepy before. I didn't know what a big honkin' dose I was getting to offset any allergic reaction to the Taxol or Carboplatin. After that bag was finished then I got a anti-nausea and another bad of anti-nausea or anti-vomiting. The nurse told me one of them - don't remember which - would keep my awake at night.

Paula and I began what we'd hoped to be many games of Scrabble. Then the Benadryl began kick in and when the nutritionist stopped by I let Paula handle the questioning because I was becoming incoherent. They were right about the Benadryl. I was more than sleepy.

And then the nurse suited up to attach the bag of Taxol. Oh yeah. This made me feel safe. She also had to do this for the carbo. I'd wondered if I'd feel anything. I didn't which was good because if I had, the staff would have taken immediate action. So all that Benadryl worked. I zonked out and Paula went to lunch. I woke up and fought the Benadryl so we could finish the game. She won. I let her. Haha.

In between all the different bags was a small saline flush. I was trying to drink a lot. I've never been a big drinker, not even of beer although I sound like I am. They are asking that I drink two to three quarts of water a day to flush out my kidneys and bladder. This is tough but I am trying. I might make it to two quarts today but I have not been measuring. Anyway with all the Benadryl and drinking and other stuff, naturally I had to pee but with the Benadryl I was not too steady on my pins and had to be walked to the bathroom (dragging my pole) and turned loose. I guess I could have walked around the room had I been able, but once you are in the infusion room they frown on you leaving because of possibly bringing in germs. There are many restrooms for patients but guests have to use the bathrooms down the hall - again because of germs.

The infusion room is rather large and set up in sections or pods with a nurses' station for each. There are two nurses on duty in case of problems. Each pod has 5 or 6 reclining chairs with a side chair for a guest, and a TV. There is a curtain you can pull for privacy. We closed mine a little so our talking and questioning (Is that a real word?) would not bother anyone else. When the chair was upright my feet did not even reach the pullout footrest but my small cooler was the perfect size. I know you are shocked about that. My legs only reach the ground when I stand up. Sigh.

About halfway through the carbo I started to feel warm. I called the nurse and asked if it was hot in the room. She came right over and stopped the IV. I said it felt like a hot flash. I had no fever and the heat began to fade so she started it up again and nothing else happened. They don't take chances. I went through menopause a long time ago and now I have no reproductive organs at all but I can still have a phantom personal summer. Sheesh.

When we left just before five I was still floating on a Benadryl cloud. We made a quick stop at New Leaf and Paula took me home all the way to Woodville and she had to fight her way back to her home. It was a really long day for her. She has more than paid me back for taking her to the hospital to have her kid when Greg was out in the field.

I basically fed the critters and went to bed and no, that other drug did not keep me awake.

Lots of mildew

FIRST DAY
I woke up feeling good but a little shaky and I think that was from residual Benadryl and not eating a real meal the evening before. I made breakfast and decided as long as I felt okay I should do something productive. I decided to clean the front porch in preparation for painting. This is from spring cleaning 2014 so I am only a year behind. It pays to move. I was about 20 years behind spring and fall cleaning in my other house. Anyway, there's a lot of mildew on the porch wood, and new wood that replaced the rotting porch supports and on the siding. I went to work. Then Bob came over to do some chores so I got him started and felt a little sleepy so I laid down for a few minutes and then went back to the porch.

Steps are icky

Rail looks better

I still have more to do and I missed a few spots in places. Hope I'll feel good enough to finish the job on Sunday. If not, then next week.



Steps look much better.

BOB'S JOB


The Kitten asks, "What
fresh hell is this?" in her
best Dorothy Parker voice.

Looks like a cat door.

Install a pet door in the metal kitchen door. There is a pet door from the porch to the outside but I needed a door from inside the house to the porch. Now the cats and dogs and have access when I am work or gone up to town which is never a quick trip. The Kitten picked up on it pretty quickly. Roxy comes in through the porch pet door and stands in front of the kitchen door and barks to be let inside. Old habits die hard but I think she'll get the hang of it soon. Smokey just goes in and out and in and out. He likes to go through stuff. Plank, well, it might take him a few more tries too. Not sure if Buddy will understand. Ever.



It is! Now I can escape anytime.

PAINTING
My old house has white vinyl siding with red trim. I can't change the house color. I could change those trim color but I'm not sure I'm up for it. The previous owners left a bunch of paint. I can only hope the colors match and that the paint is not spoiled. Do you think I should leave the screen door white or paint it red too?

Repaint the screen door white or red?









CHEMO BRAIN
I have heard about this and done a little research. It seems that radiation and chemo can bring about changes in the brain. Can't remember names or the right words, etc. I was already starting that - have always been awful with names. Now I might get the enhanced version which may or may not go away after the treatments end. Good grief. So when I look at you blankly and flail the air with my hands, first tell me your name. . . . or just fill in the blank(s) until I nod. Kind of like a game of Charades.

IN CLOSING
All in all first day has not been bad. Inside I feel a little tingly but that is about the best way I can describe it. My taste is already changing so food does not have much flavor. Hence my appetite is a little off. Maybe losing a few pounds would be okay. They say I should really start to feel the effects by the third day. I still have hair. I think I'll get a much shorter cut at the end of the week. Don't expect a full face photo either. I got a little criticism on my selfie for only showing a portion. Hey, didn't that guy who started the whole selfie thing miss his face completely???

Just taking one day at a time for now while the seas are calm. At least the sea is not quite as ambiguous as it was a few weeks back.