23 minutes left on this last bag, then 13 hours of some kidney protecting stuff and this girl goes home!  Cycle 1 of 14 complete.  Looking forward to seeing my kitties and not cleaning up after them :) doctors orders.

oops

     I have spent the last 5 hours watching hgtv...color splash to be specific.  I've learned nothing about design.  I think some of my hair might be falling out or it could be the normal amount I lose when I wash my hair.  We will find out.
     One more day and I get to go home!  Jeremy has done so much to get everything ready for me...he probably went over board but at least I don't have anything to worry about germ wise.
We have dogs today at 1230-2.  That will be nice.  Maybe more art stuff.  I have to pick up scripts today, so I am ready to leave asap tomorrow!

 

     This is one of the dogs I met today.  They were all very old and lacked energy which I suppose is good for these sessions.  You don't want a slobbery dog jumping all over you.  Although I wouldn't mind a dog more like the Moose.  Da Moose!  Miss her.  This is a group of retirees that bring their pups to brighten a day or two.  It is a good thing they are doing but it is kind of sad that all the dogs are either blind or losing hearing, etc.  Something about seeing a living thing in the process of deteriorating doesn't leave me with a happy feeling.  Oh well, the poodle was cute.  I'll be seeing my perfect sir and crazy charlie soon enough.

     I feel very accomplished now.  I have all my scripts in order...hoping I don't have to take all of them but we'll see.  I don't like drugs.  I guess I still have to talk to someone about if it is as needed or just take at a regular interval regardless.  They are giving me stuff for nausea and something else that causes nausea.  I know it is all to help me through but I'd prefer a few less chemicals running through my body simultaneously interfering with each other.

     Jeremy set up a bunch of video games on his laptop for me to play.  I think I shall start some old school games now while I wait for dinner and then a sprinkling of pre meds. I did not get a nap in like I usually do but I did waste alot of time this morning so I probably don't need one.

 

day 4

     Last night went well.  No side effects yet...unless I'm getting confused.  Still have all my hair.  The chick that does my bags could be more organized and less like the person in the labyrinth that tries to get what's her face to forget about her brother and play with her dolls.  Don't get me wrong, this woman has been here 7 years and I'm sure she knows what she's doing but I prefer someone who is confident and precise when getting bubbles out of lines and changing out bags.  She also spilled fluid on my flip flop.  Do I trust her that it was just saline or am I stepping into chemo shoe? My first night everything was on time, no complications switching out bags, no air in lines, everything went smoothly.  One of my girls that night was in training so had more reason to stay on top of treatment I think.

    Now for breakfast! I'll spare you the pictures...it's pretty much the same.  I need me some dunkin donuts.

     Dealing with insurance is a joke.  You think they could help a girl out in her time of not wanted to jump through hoops because that would cause wires to get tangled that lead into her chest.  It's a good thing I have the time and, for now, the patience.

     I went to the art studio and made a crane with a wish inside. I'm either supposed to make 1000 cranes or just look at the one I made 1000 times to get the wish.  Here it is

mine is the brown one

I think I'll look 1000 times...my Mr Bing can't stand to be away from our floor for too long.

boring

It has been a very boring day.  I get 3 square meals and minimal exercise and I think it is starting to show.

Now just hanging out,watching amazing race.  Just one of the shows I have become sucked into.  Open to suggestions on things to do with all this time.

     Alright, first night not bad at all. I got a total of 5 hours sleep (not my usual 8 but I felt well rested), no weird reactions besides some hot pins and needles with the steroid.  I find it interesting how the body reacts to certain traumas.  The nurse had to push a push pin type needle into my chest and I didn't feel a thing. Hope this doesn't freak anyone out to hear all the crap that goes on but it is what i have to talk about so...

     Busy day! breakfast at 8

lunch at 12 complete with a traditional watson dish...








 

dinner at 5

cottage cheese and applesauce

 a few phone calls, many text message, a nap and a walk

with my new walking partner...Mr. Bing

now some tv while I wait for pre chemo meds at 8 and chemo at 9-12...going to be a fun night.

Hello and welcome

     So this is new for me.  I've never written a blog.  My hope is that I will be able to write something everyday, even if it is just one bad word, to keep everyone as up to date as they want to be.  So to start, for those who may not be in the know, I had some symptoms that prompted me to get a CT scan and they found a mass on my kidney.  It did not show signs of being cancer but it needed to come out regardless.  Turns out it was cancer and even though all of my scans have come back negative, chemo is still going to happen as a precaution.

     How am I feeling about this?  This sucks! Everything was going swimmingly up until 1 week ago.  I was looking forward to going back to work and getting on with it...6 weeks is too long to be off.  Through this entire ordeal, I have felt no pain.  The surgery was a piece of cake, I healed quickly and my surgeon even asked if I had gone back to work (obviously I had not because he would have been the one to say it was OK).  So here Jeremy and I are waiting for the new doctor to tell us his thoughts on my unique situation and he comes at us with, not just some pills as a 'just in case' but a full fledged chemo treatment...29 weeks if everything stays on schedule which it almost always does not.  I'm not going back to work until next year! I'm angry.  Shit happens though and you have to deal with it.  You can sit around being angry and uncooperative or you can suck it up, accept it and do everything you can to make it go smoothly and stay on track.  That's my plan.

    I am lucky though.  The people who surround and support me are amazing.  I had no idea I was that special.  I feel like with all that love and support I can do anything.  It's still gonna suck along the way but what's total hair loss and fatigue in the grand scheme of things...not much.

  Thank you just doesn't quite express my gratitude.

     So since finding out last Thursday that our life will never be the same, I have gone to a water park (and almost died on a ride), bought a wig, donated my hair, got a cute haircut, received many well wishes and love, had a port put into my chest, fainted (which led to my first ride in an ambulance and experience in the ER...everything is fine) and now I am waiting for a bed to spend the next 5 days in...let the adventure begin.