Third Time’s the Charm
My mom with her Kindle playing the role of "chemo buddy" for the day.
I got to sleep in a teensy bit before my appointment today. My breast that has the issues with the incision had some funny red marks on it and a purple spot where the gauze must have dug into my skin – so it was looking a little funky this morning which got me pretty stressed out, not that I haven’t already been stressed out this week as it is. The red marks were definitely from the tape yesterday (I was changing my gauze every 15-30 minutes). Once the doctors looked at me I knew I was fine, but I am starting to develop some strange paranoia about my incision, every time it changes in any way not good I freak out. I am still hoping we caught this before it is a real infection, but I am really not ok with what happens if it is.
Yesterday I walked on the treadmill, wound or not I try to keep up my regular exercise, as I had missed two days because I was worrying about an infection. After my 30 minute walk I discovered that my gauze was soaked. A large amount if clear (non-infectiony) fluid was making its way out of my incision. The could be freaky I guess, but I was kind of happy, because it meant that the build up the doctor had been feeling around for was making its way out (and the fact that the fluid was still clear).
I tried to rest and hydrate all day so that my veins would be well behaved for their premier event today. Unfortunately they weren’t in the mood to participate, so we had to use a main vein for chemo today (the one in the crook of your elbow). The nurse thought I should be able to use that one for the next 5, we will see, hitting up that vein so soon isn’t a great sign. We think my veins were hiding because all of my stress this week. Someday when my incision heals I really do plan on taking up Yoga or something a little more exciting than walking fast on a treadmill.
After seeing my doctor my mom and I ran up to the cafe and got a salad and smoothie to eat. I have discovered I tend to be famished when I get home and a lot of chemo patients eat in the infusion room, so I figured I would try that out today. My salad was delicious and the smoothie superb. I even recommended it to a neighboring patient.
Showing off my drugs.
Chocolate covered cashews.
They put me in a different infusion room from the main one, I hadn’t seen this one before. The smaller room had a nice view of the snow falling outside. It also made it a bit easier to be chatty with the nurses and other patients (I was in a chatty mood today, maybe that will be my stress relief for the week).
The nurse was pointing out my next IV bag to the other nurse before she left the room and mentioned that Mandi gets that next. I looked over at them and said “Mandi gets that and candy?” The nurse later brought me some chocolate covered cashews, so I did get my candy! I decided that it is because I am super sweet. The nurse then had issues getting my notes in the computer, I asked her if the note was about me being the best patient EVER, she neither confirmed nor denied my statement. So, I am pretty sure that is exactly what she wrote down (yes, I think I am pretty darn special today). 🙂
There was a new patient there today getting her chemo for the first time. I tried to tell her about my experience with chemo so far and gave her my email address. Hopefully I helped a little bit. It really does help to have a support group of people who have experienced the same things you are experiencing in this type of circumstance.
3 down 5 to go!.
