Friday when I went to hospital I wasnt sure of where to go, not that I didn't know the directions, but all I knew was I was getting the chemo, so I didn't know if I went to the que to see the docs or straight round to the treament area... so I went to the one that came first which was for the doctor. Turned out to be the right choice, normal routine for the doctor, wait, give bloods, wait, see doctor, but instead of going home I had to wait longer and wait some more... and then maybe finally, no, wait, oh here we go in for treatment and wait there while I get the chemo into me and the retuximab infused.
During the blood samples last week the forgot the do a special genetics test to see if it was maybe a genetics... defect...? can't think of the right word, but the Lymphoma may be caused by that. So they had to take an extra sample for that this week as it wasn't done last week, during this time the nurse was looking for the notes for it and the line popped out, I calmly stopped the blood going along the vein with my finger and told the nurse, who was holding the other end of the line, who jumped and got a cotton bud, ammusing, I thought so anyway. So had to be stabbed again to get the samples for the genetics test. Turned out that it was put into the wrong bottles so had to be taken again, stab count three.
The talk with the doctor was just your run of the mill how are you? yeah i,m fine glands are swollen checks glands, glands not swollen fu glands you where swollen yesterday, oh well, i guess that's a good thing. It was with a doctor I had had before as we recognised each other, but she had a file with my name on it and I didn't have a clue what her name was. I'm pathetic with names, good with faces, embarrasing with names. Im guessing if I ever get married I will forget my wife's name on our wedding day.
Finally in getting the line put in to get the IV drips the nurse was finding which vein to use, all of which where well pumped up and very visable, this didn't help much. First attempt in we got the flow back of blood going into the syringe, but when putting in the fluid from the syringe to make sure it's working, the fluid was just going under my skin, attempt one fail, stab wound four. Next attempt was on my other arm, my right arm and same thing happened again, seemed to be going well untill putting the fluid in which just went under the skin again, attempt two, stab wound five.
She went and got another nurse to try who was a little bit more brutal (which I prefer, gets it out of the way faster) when she went in all we heard was a POP and I felt the force of it up my arm!!! was impressive, my veins have addapted to being stabbed and thickened up so much. But at least stab wound six of the day was the final one and I recieved my treatment with no bother of side effects apart from the crappy piriton, but that even seemed to pass a lot quicker than what it normally would. Was home for a late dinner that night.
The following morning I felt a bit nauseous but I litterally took a small drink of orange and it was away, fingers are still a bit numb though, if these are the only side effects I'm getting from the chemo I'm a lucky guy, I guess the years of different drugs has prepared me for this in some way. Hair seems to be thinning a bit too but I think thats more of my receding hairline than from the chemo, but if anyone asks i'm blaming the chemo. Blaming may be the wrong word, I've been wanting an excuse to shave my head for a few years now, so this is the perfect opportunity.
I've not been walking as much this week though, but I have changed my breathing exercises to actual exercises with weights and on the bike machine, was on the bike machine for about an hour and a half on Sunday and felt like I could push it on a lot longer, I was very pleased and not even sore the next day, went full pelt for just under 5 minutes aswell at the end. Weights haven't been anything spectatular just using a dumbbell with 5KG on it.
But all is going good so far this week "it's hard to feel sick, when you dont feel like there's anything wrong." In fact I feel as good as I have for quite a few months...