Well, I'm here at he SCCA in a bed and receiving my first high dose chemo. Thank God they finally got WiFi here! This place had every ammenity of a "boutique" cancer center (tasteful updated decor, artwork, gourmet food), but no WiFi till now, go figure...
The chemo I'll be getting today (VP-16) is of course pretty nasty stuff. My infusion nurse Seth told me that most people with solid tumors receive 200mg. Guess how much they're going to give me today...? 8500mg!!!! Holy shit! Now I know why they call it high dose chemo, they're giving me an elephants dose, crazy... I mentioned this stuff is nasty, don't know if that's the proper word for it. First of all, at this dose, they can't put it in a bag because it'll eat right through the bag. They have to give it in a special plastic syringe (5 of them) that get automatically pushed by a machine. I could taste it as soon as Seth hit the button to start the pump. That brings me to the next interesting part of this chemo. They have to mix it with pure alcohol for some reason (he explained it to me but I forgot). So, as I get infused with this chemo it'll be like doing 5 shots of pure alcohol over 4 hours! Might as well belly up to the bar! I got that saying from an old co-worker from Texas and finally got a chance to use it :) So I better get this entry in before I start feeling looped which I'm sure I will be after the dose of benadryl and zofran they just gave me... I'll be doing my best to hold it together (no barfing).
A quick update on the crazy weather we've been getting here; My Mom and Jackie had to push me out this morning even though I parked on top of the hill! Times like these I wish I had a Hummer... I'm a little worried how we're going to get back and forth to my place. I guess we'll deal with it when the time comes. Worse comes to worse we can just crash at Jackie's place although I don't think my Mom's too keen on the idea of sleeping on the couch again. Who knows, maybe they'll plow the street that leads to my place but I doubt it.
P.S. I decided to put one of my painting's up for S&G's :-)
That's pretty much it for now. Just going to listen to some music and drift off........
It's 3:15 and wanted everyone to know we made it home safely, thank God. I'm feeling pretty out of it so I think I'll just hit the rack and pretty much stay there till tomorrow's appts. At least I get a 24 hour break before the next monster CYTOXAN huuuhhhhuuuuuhhhhuuuuu (menacing laugh).
Cheers Everyone!
2 comments:
I don't think it was VP-16, but Wullie had a drug (I think it was called BCNU) which gave him the Mother of all hangovers, because of the alcohol content in it also - crazy!! At least by the sounds of it, you may get a little benefit of the alcohol before the hangover sets in!!
Chris, you're on the home straight now - you've done round 1, had your TBI and now, round 2 will be the last of your cancer treatment - count down the days to this all being in the past..........are you doing this in-patient?
Thinking of you.........Vx
Chris - coming over from the Hodgkin's board. Hang in there on your treatment. Know that we are thinking of you!
-- Lainie
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