First Chemo Update

It was a lousy week after that last post.

I was rammy and restless with all the steroids that had been pumped into me for the chemo set-up, and on top of that the nausea medication conflicted with my restless-legs medication and gave me uncontrollable twitches and jerks.

But the real pain set in when I returned for my Neulasta replacement medication.  Neulasta is typically assigned to stimulate the production of white blood cells. They apply a patch, and it dispenses over the next couple days. Insurance refused to cover Neulasta and recommended a different regimen that required waiting for two days, and then a shot in the arm. I reminded the nurse that I was to also have a script for oxycodone, but she said I wouldn't need it. Maybe a Tylenol, or try Claritin. I repeated that Dr. Gabriel was pretty clear I was to have the Oxycodone. Nope. Later that afternoon / evening, I felt like little squibs were being blasted out of my marrow bones. Mostly my legs, hips, and feet, but also my arms. I was wailing like a cat on a rack. Actually, it felt like a rack might feel. Jack was able to call the Penn Med center and Gabriel was on call, so I got my happy pills and was able to sleep the next few days.

On Wednesday, I had the family over to help me shave my head in prep for losing it, which should be this weekend or Monday. The girls separated my hair into quadrants and braided it, then cut the braids off. Then Buddy took the trimmers and shaved me down to about a half-inch fuzz. We taped it; people watched; it was fun.

But in the meantime, my body temp kept rising past the Rubicon, 100.4, and then drop down again after a half hour. I'm supposed to report to the ER if my temp goes up that high, but I didn't feel anything wrong. I checked with Dr. Gabriel, and she said to keep a close eye. But on Thursday, it went flying up to 102.8. I figured I should go to the ER. I knew I wasn't getting enough fluids the past few days, so I was probably dehydrated.

Turns out the Virtua ER has no idea what to do with a chemo patient with a fever.

So I was stuck in the hospital for two days while they figured out there was nothing wrong and that this was my reaction to chemo. Very frustrating.

But in the meantime, the CPAP the hospital gave me to use blew a hole in my upper sinuses, and I came home with a good sinus + cough + chest congestion that still has me down on a Thursday.

I have felt pretty good all week, and I got my third expander fill of 60cc's.

So now THAT was my first full week of chemo!