Two-thirds Through

We show up at the usual time in the usual place.  He gets the usual pre-meds, they hang the first bag, he gets the sleepies and takes a nap, we open the cooler and have lunch when he wakes up, the afternoon passes with work on a laptop or a novel, the pump beeps that he's finished and we head home.  Just a routine visit to the Infusion Center. We're two-thirds of the way through now.

We're actively trying to mitigate the side effects this time rather than just saying that they're minor and waiting them out.  If Benadryl can put him to sleep in the hospital, maybe it will also work at home to counteract the dreaded Prednisone jitters.  And if the Prednisone is causing heartburn as it goes down, then perhaps coating it with chocolate will keep it whole and innocuous until the pill is safely in the tummy.  At least I haven't heard a hiccup yet tonight because that's one I have no cure for.  Like I said, pretty minor problems.

Welcome to our new normal.  Doctor visits, blood work, CT scans, wonder drugs.  Also good appetite, plenty of energy, decent nights' sleep.  Not quite completely asymptomatic since there are twinges now and again--but so much better than the end of last year that it feels like a one-eighty.

Fingers crossed for continued good results!

Round Three

It's becoming routine.  We know what to expect by now during the chemo cocktail.  The nurses are a very nice group.  They make us feel welcome and cared for.  J. has good veins so getting an IV started is never a problem.

The Benadryl pre-meds make him sleepy enough to nap for a couple hours during the morning as the Rituxan drips drips drips ever so slowly.  Then we open the cooler for lunchtime--salami and cheese, fresh sourdough, dried fruit, lemonade, nuts.  J. opens his laptop and works while I continue to sew or embroider.  My Kindle is always at hand with a variety of literature--heroines from Lisbeth Salander to Anne Shirley.  The afternoon sun pours through the windows in our lttle cozy nook.  This round took 6 hours from start to finish compared to 9 hours the first time.  I think that's as fast as it will ever be though.

The side effects are very manageable, still.  The bit of nausea is well controlled and I fix comfort foods (plain meats and cheesy pasta) for dinner as they seem to be the most appetizing.  Round two and three have also included hiccups and heartburn for a couple days.  He seems to be drowning the heartburn successfully with milk and ice cream and the hiccups are intermittent and minor.  I know that early next week his appetite will rebound fully and more interesting foods will appear on the menu.  The Prednisone insomnia just means that he sometimes works at 4 a.m. and naps after lunchtime.  It's not pleasant, but it's only for five days.  Maybe it will just fit in with our return to Daylight Savings Time this week?

We're grateful that neuropathy has not reared its ugly head (knock wood).   I have a printout of vitamin B-rich foods on the fridge (they promote healthy nerves) and have made sure they make a frequent appearance on the table.  Do they make a difference?  Don't know, but we love asparagus and sardines, etc and they can't hurt!  And if those B vitamins help him avoid what could potentially be a permanent side effect, I'm for them.  I know how miserable I was with carpal tunnel and I can't imagine having permanent neuropathy.

His pre-chemo checkup showed lower white cell counts again.  His oncologist says that his count lowers slower than most and is actually on the way back up before chemo--which is pretty much what we figured since the CBC shows normal levels the week after his treatment.  J.'s still keeping out of the public arena all the time (I figure the kindergarten germs I bring home are more than enough for him to combat) but that Week Two timeframe when his counts are lowest make us take extra precautions.  Just in case. We'll count on normal white blood cells rebounding by his post-chemo checkup this Wednesday.