Good Morning Family and Dear Friends,
For someone (me) who has eschewed taking drugs all my life, my daughter has officially labeled me a "druggie"… six regular medications plus several more to be taken if needed to handle the chemotherapy's side effects.
Yesterday, between a blood draw, a consultation with a member of my team, and then the actual chemo treatment, I was at the hospital for 9 hours. The extended stay was due to 1) a first-time visit where they need to go over everything that may or may not occur during the treatment, 2) scheduling of the rest of my appointments, and 3) a review of my blood draw necessitated a slight change in the chemo delivery which delayed getting my chemo meds by an hour.
My drugs and me at the hotel
I learned that the chemo meds are created with each visit, depending on what they find during the blood draw. Since I had a Port-a-cath placed last Friday, the good news is that they don't need to poke me every time they need to draw blood or administer drugs. Most of you probably know about that, but it's all new to me!
The actual chemo treatment went very well. They sent me back to the hotel with a portable chemo pump that continues to administer the chemo for another 46 hours. I'll go back to the hospital tomorrow to get the pump disconnected and then head home.
I feel OK under the circumstances. I'm filling my day with watching movies, just a little news, answering emails and text messages, doing some NSMTA and USTA work, NAPPING (essential!), and eating as much as possible even though I have no appetite.
So … all in all, things are going as well as can be expected. I am keeping my spirits up. The emails and text messages are really helping. Also, a friend of mine, who lives in the Boston area, organized some of my family and friends to email her little notes of encouragement, jokes, funny stories, etc. She then printed them all out on separate, little pieces of paper and place them all in a “My Smiling Jar”. I take a few out at a time to read. They always bring a chuckle and a smile to my face. What a great idea!
Well, that’s all the news that’s fit to print for now.
Be well, stay healthy and wash those hands!
Mas
508-560-6111
“If we go into the differences in philosophy and argue with and criticize each other, it is useless. There will be endless argument; the result will mainly be that we irritate each other, accomplishing nothing. Better to look at the purpose of the philosophies and to see what is shared: an emphasis on love, compassion, and respect for a higher force.”
- The Dalai Lama