I'll Take the Chemo With a Side of Fatigue
Today brought my chemotherapy “teaching appointment.” Randy and I met with Nicole, one of the wonderful nurses at my oncologist’s office, who gave us the chemo 411. She described each drug that I would be receiving, how it would be administered, and how long it would take to receive it. She also talked about the side-effects of each drug and how long they would last and told me what I could do to combat those side-effects. Most of what she told me I had already read in various books, but she was able to answer several questions for me. I get to look forward to alopecia (hair loss), nausea, fatigue, bone pain, mouth sores, constipation, and diarrhea, among others. I may not experience any of those, or I may experience some of them, or all of them. The side-effects might last for one day or three days or a week. I left with a handful of prescriptions for some very expensive drugs, including one for a wig (the medical term for which is a "cranial prosthesis"), and a lot of trepidation about what I’m about to go through.
Nicole also gave us a tour of the office. One of the rooms we saw was the chemotherapy room where I will have my treatments, which was lined with twelve big fancy recliners. There were about 4 or 5 people scattered in chairs throughout the room, men and women, some bald, some not. The one common denominator about all the other patients was that they were all older than me.
I didn’t hear anything about the results of my MRI today so I don’t know yet if I’ll actually be starting on the 12th or not, but I do have one more decision to make before then. My surgeon has mentioned several times the possibility of having a port implanted to make delivery of the chemo drugs and blood tests easier by saving me some needle sticks. My oncologist has said that he thinks the best way to receive the chemo is via an IV in the back of my hand. After talking with Nicole today, I think that I would probably prefer to have a port implanted, despite the fact that doing so means an additional surgery. If I end up having surgery to implant the partial-breast radiation catheter I will definitely choose to have a port implanted at that time. If I am not able to do the partial-breast radiation, I’ll have to decide whether to have the port installed or not.
Comments
Hi Kim! I have been reading along as you journey through the strange world of a cancer patient. You sound like you've got a great attitude and lots of support. I just wanted to weigh in on port vs. IV delivery of chemo. My doctors didn't give me much option in this area; they would have let me choose either way, of course, but in their experience, chemo with a port was so much less uncomfortable, so much more convenient, that I was sold on it. I never regretted my decision to have a port. It was surgically implanted just a few days before my first chemo. It was like a cute little button under my collar bone and I never felt any of the needles used to access it, throughout eight rounds of chemo. I think it's cleaner and easier overall. I have a one-inch scar under my left collarbone, and I think of it as just another of my battle scars. I was always thankful I had it as I watched others in the infusion unit have a nurse poke at their hands with IV needles. Ouch! My port was removed about three months after my final chemo. I was awake during that procedure (but asleep during implantation). It was simple and just one more opportunity to celebrate when it was all over. I hope my experience helps you choose. You hang in there! You're doing great!
Posted by: Deb | July 4, 2007 06:35 AM
Okay, "bone pain" made me wince. However, I'm intrigued by this "port" of which you speak? Are you going to be Robo Mother In Law??
Posted by: Dave! | July 4, 2007 09:42 AM
I would definitly get the port. Just make sure that they flush it after each treatment.
Posted by: Joel Maners | July 4, 2007 11:09 AM
You can do it, Kim.
It is absolutely normal to have trepidations, but how wonderful that you have professionals who care enough to explain in such detail what to expect. It is so important that people are being honest and open with you, so that you can be as "ready" for all of this as possible. It sounds like to me that you have surrounded yourself with the right kind of team, and they will do everything possible to get you through this.
Thinking of you!
Posted by: candygirlflies | July 4, 2007 11:48 AM
One bit of advice on the anti-nausea meds, go ahead and get a perscription for every med you can. The one that they used on my wife at first did absolutely no good. She's a pharmacist so she was able to get some Zofran when we found out that the meds weren't working. I'd hate to think what a person would have hadto go through under normal circumstances. Justmake sure that you haveall the perscriptions ready in case something doesn't work. Err on the side of over medicating.
Posted by: Joel Maners | July 4, 2007 11:37 PM