Normal Again after Round Two

The worst is behind us and a couple of weeks respite lies ahead.  It was disappointing that we couldn't completely conquer the post-chemo yuckies, but at least we were able to moderate them.  That slightly better outcome was balanced by the fact that it took an extra couple days for him to bounce back.  It is what it is.

Plans are already in place to get our insurance to approve the use of another pre-med that's more expensive but supposedly more effective.   Let's hope that goes smoothly so the next round of chemo might not be quite so rocky.

The shots that stimulate the production of white blood cells continues to work really well.  Yippee!  It's wonderful to not worry about one aspect of this process.  Still, a bottle of hand-sanitizer for the Subaru is on my grocery list since I've been bad about washing my hands between kindergarten and home.  I figure the cupholder will hold it nicely and be obvious enough that I'll remember to use it!

I'm convinced chemo brain happens to spouses as well as patients.  I've noticed a tendency to forget the simplest things.  I'd tell you what they were...but I don't remember them.

I Spoke Too Soon

It's going to be a long weekend.  His chemo side-effects are defying the anti-nausea meds.  I can say that maybe, perhaps, hopefully it's not as bad as the last time?

I'm not sure if it's harder to be the one experiencing the joys and delights of chemo or the one standing helplessly by.

Most people have a harder time on RCVP--he cruised through.  Patients comment on how easy R&B is--and it's giving us fits.  Go figure.

At least we know it lasts for a finite time and Monday will be a much better day.  Over and out.

Another Round Two

Well, it's nice to be out of the doctor's office.  This three-part chemo pretty much swallowed most of this week. 

It's a little soon to tell (knock wood) but I'm hopeful this latest post-chemo med will make our weekend tolerable.  Med number one was ineffective.  Med number two was better but didn't completely help the nausea.  The third time might be the charm.  He still doesn't feel great--but he doesn't care.  You know how you struggle against tummy upsets and dread what might happen?  Well, remove the dread and you feel a whole lot better.  And you get a great nap in the bargain! 

Chemo part one went okay--just a bit stressful anticipating the possible reaction after last time.  Chemo day two found him with a mild headache and feeling feverish.  He didn't have a fever but he was definitely flushed.  He was able to eat conservatively and drink fluids as needed both days.

But we're finding that twenty-four hours after the chemo ends, he really starts to feel lousy all over and then nausea starts. And this time I was driving as slowly to his appointment as I could, avoiding bumps, curves, fast starts, and quick brakes.  I'm glad it wasn't my driving (somewhat less than smooth last time) that was at fault. I'd been feeling guilty for the past three weeks.

If you have to feel rotten, do it at the oncologist so he can write you a Rx on the spot and you can pick it up on the way home and start to feel better.  Especially going into a weekend--yeah, there's someone on-call, but it involves a lot of phone calls and extra trips.

He did rebound after about ten days last time and has felt well since.  The bloodwork shows that the shot to spur his bone marrow into overdrive so he has lots of white blood cells is working well. Let's hope that trend continues

I'm hoping he has the ability and desire to both eat and drink instead of lying down and dehydrating for the next four days.  Dehydrating is for pears and apples, not geologists. I need neither grey hairs nor more worrylines--so far I'm smiling and I hope to stay that way while I watch over him.

And anything that makes you this sick must be attacking the lymphoma too!  That would make the side effects worth the trouble.