First Treatment. Chemo Virgin

Monday Jan 11 Jenna and I head south. Chris has asked to join us for the first session. She has certainly “been there, done that” and wants to be holding my hand when I walk into the treatment room for the first time. For those of you who don’t know Chris, she is my college roomie. Actually, we had met in high school and gone off to BU together. Many life adventures, much of which is not publishable although my children seem to think they will wheedle stuff out of her and Molly once they are out of college. I often remind Brent, Luke and Jenna that I have more money than they do plus dirt to dish in return : ) Chris spent 2009 battling bilateral breast cancer and has finished her chemo and radiation. Actually had some of her follow up/surveillance studies done this morning before driving to be with us.

Chris arrives in Chapel Hill at the same time Jenna and I do. Aunt Leila is wonderful and has assured us that chemo buddies are welcome too. Another yummy dinner, visit, movies and bed.

Tuesday morning comes with some expected anxiety. I am a bit antsy to get out the door and get this party started. We arrive and things go very smoothly. Chris finds out that we have time to grab some breakfast after my labs are drawn. I had not been able to eat much before we left. She gets to meet Paula and Dr. Blobe. It’s always good to have someone with you to help prompt questions and listen to what is being said. You think you’re getting it all but you’re not. They marvel at my “chemo naïve” lab values. I won’t be a chemo virgin for long. The call gets made, thaw the drug.

We sign in for my treatment room visit and get to meet my nurse Kim. She is wonderful, kind and efficient. She lets us know it will be a bit before the drug arrives from pharmacy and that we have time to pick up something to eat and drop off prescriptions. Off we go. Back with time to spare and food for lunch.

I have had questions about the treatment room set up. It is a large room with recliners and visitor chairs around the perimeter. It also has various internal sections with similar set up. There are also some rooms with beds that open into the center area. Kim has me settle into a bed and places the piece to access my port. Chris is holding on tight and actually accessing the port feels like not much more than a needle prick. My new routine begins. Port is flushed, zofran runs, TH302 runs, all total just about an hour and a half. While the TH302 is running, I visualize it going to the mets in my liver and to the main tumor in my pancreas and doing it’s stealth bomber thing. Get it there and blast that stuff out! I find out that quite a few folks are doing the same visualization. I love the thought of that!

Once the stealth bomber is done running, I get an hour and a half off. The connector piece stays in place and gets tucked in to my shirt. We decide to walk around while we can because we’re tired of sitting. We get back in time for the decadron followed by the gemcitabine. We have been assured by Paula, Dr. Blobe and Kim that it is safe for me to travel back to Virginia. “If you’re going to have a reaction, it will be while it’s running”. Besides, I want to get home before the side effects start.

My chauffer is wonderful. We head north and I am starving. A few food and bathroom stops along the way and home looks GREAT. Nothing like a big hug from Jim. About an hour after getting back the nausea starts creeping in plus I’m beat. Time for drugs, bed and a good night’s sleep.