So far, so Good!
Monday morning my treatment week number 8 began. Like usual, I went to my home-care nurse Lani at the local small hospital for bloodwork, which she did before starting her regular shift. She is a Gem! Monday evenings I take a laxative, which I will take every evening this week. No one phoned this time about a Covid screening. They are short staffed.
Tuesday morning we awoke to another snow storm, but Dave drove slowly and managed to get us into the city without hitting the ditch. We were hoping that because of the weather, there would have been patient cancellations, but all the chairs were filled already. It was very busy. They found a spot for me in a cubicle, all by myself. The only company was my attending nurse who popped in off and on when needed. Luckily I had a good book stashed away in my chemo bag and my husband had made me lunch and a snack. So I was set. I had to wait for the chemo drugs to be made up however. The pharmacy does not prepare them till you get there, in case there is a cancellation. It is just too expensive I am told; thousands of dollars per treatment. My particular treatment is called FOLFOX and is given as first-line treatment for colorectal cancer. It consists of oxaliplatin, leucovorin and fluorouracil. The first 2 drugs I receive intravenously at the clinic and I get sent home with the infusor-bottle of fluorouracil dripping into me for 2 more days, replacing a further 2 day hospital-stay. During treatments 1 through 7, I have been receiving the maximum dose for my body weight and mass. Luckily I was finally able to have a personal visit with my oncologist last week (haven't seen her since chemo begun) and we mutually decided to reduce the oxaliplatin dose one notch, so that I would have fewer side effects in the long run. What a relief! I have been nagging about this to the chemo nurse since after Christmas! We also decided to keep the same original dose of fluorouracil as long as my heart will tolerate it. So, so far, so good! I have had a good treatment nr 8. 2/3 done!!! I am happy, happy, happy. Thank You for all your good wishes, prayers and good vibes!!! I'll get by with a little help from my friends by the Beatles; says it all! Oh, and Lani got rid of my infusor bottle this morning. Double, triple YEAH!!!
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