Friday, June 29, 2007

What Chemo Looks Like

Ah, here they are. The supportive parents. This is what I happily see every round of chemo. Blog World, meet Mimi and Bill. World's best parents. They leave their very full life to drive 3 hours every two weeks to stay with me for 4 days to be sure all goes well. And it does.

This round went well. Last night I just felt really FULL. Of food, water, oral anti-nausea drugs and IV after IV of chemo drugs. Today I feel remarkably well, but I know after a couple of days go by I won't be able to remember the details of today... or tomorrow... or the next day.

I am now officially half way done with chemo, and completely done with the Adriamycin/Cytoxan blend. Next time it will be Taxol, with an entirely different set of side effects and many more steroids and much Benadryl in order to tolerate it.

Here's what my parents see:

You can tell I've had my anti-nausea drugs because my eyes look a little glassy. You can also see what it looks like when they access my port, down on my chest. The little tube coming out allows the nurse to both draw blood AND deliver all my IV drugs. Pretty amazing. I have a tube of lidocaine cream that I use to numb the port site up about an hour before my appointment. I always grimace when they insert the needle, but honestly, I never feel a thing!

7 comments:

katie said...

[sniff, sniff]
You are brave. And beautiful. And halfway done. Yea you!!!

I miss you sissy.

Unknown said...

I love the pics! Your parents are the bestest! You look just like your Mom. I bet you hear that all the time. Cheers to being half way done!



Love ya
Kimi

kai said...

Everyone deserves parents like that!

Anonymous said...

What a good daughter you are, putting your parents on there and thanking them. They are awesome! So are you. Check your email for some OLD photos, I found whilst cleaning out. Man were we young once!

ND said...

Hey warrior woman, you rock! Such a cool blog. Your parents are too cute.
Thinking of you as always-
Love Noreen

Anonymous said...

Love the pics!

Hope this last A/C isn't too rough....this too will pass, if only one could fast-forward a week and be done with the misery!! But yes, we CAN do this, we are tough. Even when the tears come uncontrollably. BTW, the July 18 - 20 Cancercares retreat at Menucha (in the Gorge, half hour from Pdx) has room, and scholarships. If I can drive I'm going!

Anonymous said...

Woohoo! Half way! It's cool to "meet" your parents. Met them once, but that was like 100 years ago. I'm with Kimi, you sure do look like your mom.

Love you Lammie! You're always in my thoughts!

XOXO
Kelly