Treatment 3 and Memorial Day Weekend

Written May 28, 2018 Memorial Day

Still catching up!

Thursday May 24, 2018

On to infusion number 3.  I got a private room!  YAY!  I can pass out in privacy and people can come and go and I'll be none the wiser.  I asked Mitzi straight up if the infusion was going to be 3 hours.  She said yes.  When she went back to her desk and came back she said the infusion should not have taken 7 hours last week.  It was just a newer nurse to infusion being cautious.  So today we are going to dump and run.  I told her all about my creepy sleeping incidents last time and she was dying.  It was really funny.  

Ben came for his visit to knock me out.  They give premeds first so by the time Jen came to be the second signer on my chemo I was wasted!  They always ask for your name and date of birth so I said it but I did it really choppy.  I told them, "I. have. to. e.nun.ci.ate. my. words"  They both started laughing.  I always sound like a drunk when they come ask me questions.  Why is the Benadryl being such a beast!  I didn't have these problems before! 

It was magical.  I feel asleep and them woke up and it was done.  That was super fast!  Woohoo!  I had to go home and sleep for another 4 hours to get the Benadryl out of my system.  The worst part about chemo day is the Benadryl.  I can't complain.  

This is how it usually goes.  

Thursday Day 1:   Infusion - Benadryl Sucks!

Friday Day 2:        I feel like puking.  I am usually good if I stay medicated. 

Saturday Day 3:    I am tired as all get out, but I can usually push through it.

Sunday Day 4:      I am usually on the mends.  Just weak.  

I am finding out how stress plays out in all this.  Remember one of the initial questions being, "what is my stress level"...  Six?

Well on Tuesday I had a really stressful moment at work.  I have the ability to remain calm under pressure but sometimes all the planets align and I snap.  I have felt my blood pressure rise before and have always wondered what it would be if I was took take it during those moments.  Well I happened to have a follow up appointment right when this incident happened.  So I drove to my appointment seeing red and trying to calm down.  The nurse took my blood pressure and her eyes popped a little.  145 over 75.  She asked if that was normal.  I assured her that it was not.  I just left a stressful situation at work. That number was after 20 minutes of me deep breathing.  I can't imaging how much higher it had been moments before.  

That night I was wiped out and my body ached.  This medication does not like me being stressed out.  It is not friendly!  No more stress for me!  

Saturday May 26 and 27, 2018

Nathan was in the SLC area visiting his brother.  Abby was going to drive back with him to Washington.  That worked out perfectly!  We met him for breakfast at IHOP.  We had a good time at breakfast catching up.  

After breakfast Abby and Nathan headed north and then I headed south to go visit Devin and Beth at there new house in Orem.  

I should have know that they would have no more need of assistance unpacking.  They had it all done.  They are so speedy.  When I got there we headed out to Costco to do the weekend shopping and then Devin and I went to Sam's Club to go get a trampoline.  I bought the stuff I wanted from Costco since I don't have a Costco nor a membership.  I have a Sam's Club card and they had trampolines so yay for swapping membership services this weekend!  LOL!

Beth and I put the trampoline together while Devin busted out a new kitchen island.  

Almost done.  Not! I wish!

We had to pull Devin away
from Island Duty for this part.

All Done!

Success!!!

We had dinner and then played games that night.  Sunday we went to church and then came home and played Settlers of Catan.  Good times!  We had a yummy rosemary ranch chicken for dinner and a strawberry pound cake with strawberries, vanilla pudding and whipped cream.  It was divine!  I always love visiting family!

I made it home on Sunday evening without falling asleep at the wheel.  That's always nice.  

Debbie was passing through on their way south to visit family on Monday.  The plan was to help me take more stuff to DI and to the garbage.  I am still trying to get the corner of requirements which used to be the room of requirements, down to a tote of requirements.  I was too tired.  I played too hard last week and over the weekend.  I regret nothing!   So they stayed for a bit and chatted and at least took down my garbage.  Plus they were returning my laptop.  Awesome Brad got it working for me again.  He's the best!

I am sad that I didn't get to go to the cemetery this year.  I was just to weak.  

Gone Fishin' and Rituxen Treatment 3

Written May 28, 2018 Memorial Day

This past week was the last week of school for Abby.  YAY!   On Saturday Erin invited Abby to come up to Washington for the summer.  I am so grateful for that.   It gives Abby a place to be for the summer instead of home all alone while I work and be sick.  Plus kids don't quite understand what it means when you tell them you are sick and you can't move.  "MOM....I'm hungry what's for dinner!?"  Uh...I can't move.  So that will be one less thing to worry about for me.  It will be super fun for her.  I am actually quite jealous.

I spent the weekend thinking through what I would need to pack for Abby.  Also did the normal weekend stuff.  Laundry, cleaning the kitchen etc. I did as much as I could.  I am having to spread more out in the evenings during the week instead of saving it all for the weekend.   I love that my sickest days are on the weekend so it doesn't interfere with work too much.  I also HATE that my sickest day are on the weekend because I just can't accomplish what I need to get done!  So aggravating!

When I got to work on Monday and told Ashton that Abby was heading to Washington for the summer he said we needed to come fishing before she leaves.  He had invited us to come down to the family "pond" and fish and ride the Razor this summer.  We needed to do it this week before she leaves.  So we picked Wednesday night go fishing.

Wednesday May 23, 2018

After work Abby and I headed out to Wellsville to go fishing. We met at his house and then head over to the pond.  Ashton picked up his nephew and we headed out.  Ab and I drove over in the Razor.  I thought it would be a little drive from his house down a dirt access road or something but it was a little ways away.  It was over the river and through the woods so to speak.  So we really got to drive the Razor!  It was so much fun.  Nothing like the wind wiping through your hair!  Abby loved it!

We got to the pond and explored.  This is not small "pond" like I had imagined.  It is quite the body of water.  Ashton had picked up a pizza for dinner and I brought stuff for some s'mores later. So we were all just going to chill and fish.   He had gone down to the pump to clear it of moss with his nephew and Abby and I walked around.  They found a turtle!  It didn't like me much.  Everyone touched it's shell just fine and every time I went to pet him he hissed.  I didn't know turtles hissed!


Next we got to fishing.  Ashton got the fishing poles ready and we then got to it.  I've decided if I ever had to live off of the fish I caught I would die of starvation.  This fish were biting, but I just couldn't get one on the hook to save my life!

I'm sad I didn't take a picture of Abby actually fishing.  Once we started fishing we didn't stop.  We had a lot of fun.  A bit later Ashton's dad and sister joined us, then finally Jodi, his wife, came.  What a pleasant family.  I have know Jim for several years through work.  Jodi and Ashton are the cutest couple on the plant.  They are all just good people.  It was so relaxing chilling with people that you just instantly feel comfortable being around.  Reminds me so much of my awesome family!

Jim helped Abby out.  Once again those fish were teasing us.  They'd nibble the bait right off the hook.  So none of us were catching anything.  The fish were even jumping out of the water really close to where we were dropping the lines.  

We decided to build a fire and roast some marshmallows for s'mores. I love using things like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for s'mores.  This time I bought Ghirardelli caramel chocolate squares.  YUMMY! They are the perfect size and the caramel was delicious.  That's a keeper in the gourmet s'mores line up!

Jodi ended up coming when we were doing s'mores.  She cast the line in the pond a few times.  No luck for her either.  She decided to throw a marshmallow on and still nothing.   THEN came the pizza crust.  FINALLY Jodi catches a fish!  

I reeled one in as well once I put pizza crust on the hook.  It never got out of the water though.  I got it all the way in and when it hit the bank he fell off the hook.  Easiest catch and release ever!  Ha, Ha.  {Just so everyone knows.  This is a private pond with stock fish. We know you can't use pizza crust as bait!}

At this point Abby's inner pyro had been born.  She was running back and forth from the dry grass to the fire pit keeping the fire going.   It cleaned up the are quite a bit.  So win win.  

We spent a little more time playing around before heading back to Ashton's and Jodi's house.  As we were driving past the cattle pastures Abby got totally tagged by the irrigation sprinkler.  Ha Ha!  She thought it was hilarious.  We spent a little more time hanging out in the backyard and playing with Zeus there totally cute pup.  We had an awesome time!  Abby would totally do that every single day if she could.  Best Day Ever!!!  

Rituxen Treatment 2

Written May 28, 2018

I got a message from Dad wondering if I everything was okay 'cause he hadn't heard anything in a while.  I have realized that it's been one of those periods in life where 1 day quickly turns into two weeks.  I keep thinking I need to update and then I procrastinate and here we are now.

To date I have done 3 Rituxen treatments.  I posted about the fun times had with round 1.  Round 2 and 3 have gone well.   I have a new arch nemesis named Ben.  Benadryl to be exact.  I get super hammered on 25 mg of Benadryl.

Round 2 - Thursday May 24, 2018

I get put at the end of the "hall" this time.  I have never been that far in to the bowels of the Infusion Lab.  When I was there receiving blood products during chemo therapy last time I was extremely immuno suppressed, so I always got a private room to keep me away from the germs.  Now I just get to hang with all the peeps.  Good times.

There is quite a line up of chairs along the right side.  To my left I had Mr. Old Man. To my right there was a doorless cubby with a mystery person snoring away.  {That's what we do...snore away.. I'm glad we all get knocked out in here}  The gentleman to the left was not to far from me.  If both of us extended our arms and reached we could give each other a high five.   {There was a curtain between us other wise I would have totally initiated that!}

I've decided to draw a diagram.  Otherwise the rest of this won't be funny.  I have never actually counted how many chairs and rooms there are so I just made all this up.

*This particular area that I am in has lots of line of site issues.  With the doors open I am literally able to see into the eyes of every person that was in the rooms around me. Nothing awkward about that!  Not that it would matter for long.  Remember Ben.

I could NOT stay awake for the life of me!  I asked the nurse in the beginning how long this infusion was going to take.  I was previously told that the first round would be 7 hours because of how slow they had to let it drip in. {And...you know...the convulsions}  The second and each following treatment should only take 3 hours.  She was hesitant and said lets just see how it goes and wouldn't promise me anything.  {spoiler alert: it took 7 hours! Boo!}

After the Benadryl was administered I fell asleep.  I didn't even hear her come and up the drip rate.  I really new I was sleeping hard because my neighbor, Mr. Old Man was gone and there was a lady next to me now.  Getting up to powder your nose is also super fun on Benadryl.

How do I know I was sleeping hard?  Mr. Old Man was really Mr. Funny Old Man.  He was chatting it up with the nurses and telling jokes and stories.  You know... "Old Man" stuff.  {Was that "Geriatrically" insensitive?}  He did not come in quiet so I know he didn't leave quiet.  Plus when you get shown in there is lots of stuff that is happening with the LPN/CPN doing vitals and the RN getting things going.  Also, we all come there a lot.  When you start having to go to infusion it's a party.  You've got to say hello to all the nurses as they pass by.  It's a positive social atmosphere.  So even my new neighbor had to have made quite a bit of noise coming in.  I slept through it ALL!  One minute Mr is there and than the next it's Mrs.   Uhhhh????? 

It was very disconcerting sleeping that hard in a public space and we aren't done yet!  Next a guy comes in across the hall.  Again I can make eye contact with him because he is sitting on the bed DIRECTLY across from me.  As I mentioned before there is a lot of conversation between him and the nurse and while this is going on I start to fade out again.  Who knows how long it is before I woke up again.  But when I do there is a little boy staring at me from the doorway.  WHERE DID THE GUY GO!  WHO IS THIS KID STARING AT ME!???   His mom was sitting in the chair beyond where I could see her and he was just looking around.

I just have to say I hate the feeling of being awake on Benadryl.  You're supposed to be able to hop in bed and go to sleep.  I rarely take it, but when I do,  it's right before bed when I have really bad allergies.  Mostly because I know if there is something the Benadryl is working at counteracting it hits me hard.

After 7 unexpectedly hours I finally got to run away!  That experience was just over all creepy.
Also I had to track down a way to get Abby home from school.  The hospital make your phone go into the twilight zone sometimes.  Luckily Don, Heidi and Grandpa Ken saved the day again.  Abby made it home!