Remember all times are UAE times. I am 9 hours ahead of Oklahoma.
I've written this one like a timeline just because it's my journal and it's the easiest way for me to remember the day.
I've written this one like a timeline just because it's my journal and it's the easiest way for me to remember the day.
9:00 AM: Arrive to have stress test on heart because part of the chemo's can effect my heart. Find out that insurance rejected the test so I have to go to social worker to get exemption. Only have to pay 10AED. Whew!!! Thank you Jesus.
9:45 AM: Finally get called to start test. They have to put in a cannula so they can inject Iron and something else to trace to my heart and then do a scan. Honestly I really don't know. The guy said it was like a MRI without all the noise.
10:05 AM: Have scan. The guy that did the scan carried on a conversation with me which totally helped calm my nerves.
10:30 AM: Go have lab to check liver (every 3 months) for a medicine I'm on for depression. I walk in and the check in nurse is so sweet. Ma'Shallah you are beautiful. Ma' Shallah, Ma'Shallah. Talk about a great way to make someone feel good.
10:50 AM: Get checked in at oncology and WAIT. Thankfully a girl I've recently met, met me at oncology so we sat and visited for a bit definitely helped past the time.
12:30 pm: Finally get called back to go see the Dr. We visit about how I felt after my last treatment. Then I ask him to tell me again what the actually names of the meds I am receiving are, I've had people ask me and all I know are the acronyms. So he wrote them down for me this time.
The american name AC/T- Adriamycin and Cytoxan, with (Taxol or Taxotere- not receiving yet). http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/druglist/adriamycin
The French Name is CEF- this is what I am getting at the moment.
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/druglist/taxotere- I am not getting this one yet
So you might be saying wow I have no idea what all that is. Good news, neither do I. No just kidding. It's taken me 2 treatments to understand the info plus today reading. I think I might understand it a bit better now.
1:00 PM: Go check in at chemo counter only to be told that there is no space. Come back in 45 minutes.
In the meantime I go get my after chemo meds but on the way there I realize they have not done my vitals nor taken my blood count. So walk back over to oncology and they see me and tell me we were just looking for you. They had 48 patients all day so needless to say it was definitely busy and the dr's nurse was seeing patients faster than the check in nurses. No worries I got all day right. The best thing over here is to stay positive and know that sometimes it's going to be crazy. At the end of the day I'm being taken care of and wouldn't even be able to start chemo without my lab first so it's A okay. Blood pressure was good 120/85. Best it's been since ALL this started back in June. Get blood drawn, go back downstairs to get some lunch.
1:45 PM: They have room for me. YAY!! Ok not YAY but at least it's close to time to start and get this day over with.
2:15 PM: Finally start my premeds and by the time my premeds were finished my chemo had arrived from the pharmacy and she could start.
2:30 PM: Start my injections. Now some have asked how this works. Basically I have a cannula in my hand so they can put the infusion into the vein. First I get a dose of the CEF-EPIrubicin there are 2 syringes with red stuff (the strong stuff) however it is one dose split into 2. Then I get the clear stuff- CEF-Fluorouracil. This all takes about 20 minutes to be injected into my IV by a nurse assigned to the room. They come in the room dressed like they are giving you some kind of poison (which I guess they somewhat are). Once they are finished they start an IV, CEF-Cyclophosphamide this last for 1 hour. Once the IV is finished they flush my veins and I'm free to go. So all in all it taks about 2 hours from start of premeds to flushing at the end. I will post some pics at the end for you to see. There are some pics at the end of blog if anyone wants to see.
5:00 PM: I'm finally home. H has bought me some artificial flowers (my favorite because they last forever) along with bringing me cards from his classmates. So sweet. I shower and just lay on the couch.
6:00 PM: Chicken Fajitas and chocolate brownies with peanut butter chips arrive for dinner. So nice to have food brought. I am so overwhelmed still.
7:30 PM: Take all my meds and call it a night. I did not wake up until 7AM on Tuesday morning.
Mom has gone to get H from school. Cman is taking a nap and I'm going to as well. Thank you all so much for the prayers. So far I have not had a major headache just some pressure but it's ok. I have so much to be thankful for.
Sitting in chemo yesterday looking on facebook and one of my friends posted the picture of the pink sky as she woke up Monday morning. I say it's because God was showing my OK friends that He was answering all of your prayers. Thank you so much
My small group leader sent me a message and along with it she sent me a verse (Zephaniah 3:17). Well this morning I woke up to do my quiet time and how amazing is God when that exact same verse was in my bible study this morning.
Then as I'm just looking through the book I go to January 1 b/c its a 365 day devotional and it was just given to me and the very first verse is Jeremiah 29:11. If you remember from when I began this journey that was the verse I posted on my first blog. Plus it's my life verse.
Not to mention that I have a playlist that I listen to during chemo of Christian music or other songs that people have tagged me in. One of things she said to me was How Great is our God. Guess what the very first song that played yesterday was? Yep, How Great is Our God. Then the very next song was Healer by Kari Jobe. I'm telling you all I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried. I had ran so far away from God and now he is showing me on a daily basis that he never left my side and he will be with me through this entire journey.
Cannula
Red is the E in CEF, Clear is the F in CEF
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| C in the CEF |
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