Day One - Chemo Begins

DAY ONE - Chemo begins
October 17, 2011

A long anticipated day has arrived. I managed to keep my tears at bay for the majority of day. A little frightened, a little excited, a tad bit of dread but my thankfulness takes front seat to all other emotions. I am still in the fight. The nurses on the Oncology floor said I look too good to be sick. I said, "give it a few treatments and then i'll look the part." I should lose my hair around the time of the 3rd treatment. It's so surreal as I look in the mirror and see a healthy me and then my pain kicks in to remind me that I am fragile.
Or my lack of vigor tells me that all is not well.

Checking out the labels on my infusions. The orange is the Adriamycin and the small bag in the forefront is Ifosfamide. There is also a drug called Mesna that helps protect my urinary tract. According to my nurse Denise, Adriamycin is toxic to the urinary tract. Decadron and Zofran are also hanging out with the rest to curb nausea and vomiting. 



The lovely concoction of Ifosphamide and Adriamycin

My nurse Denise hanging the first two bags of Chemo.  Denise asked me what "very good care" meant to me. My answer....compassion and skill. I told her that the actual list is much longer than that, but those two expectations would do for now.  Denise has been an Oncology nurse for about 30 years. Thanks Denise for "your" compassion and skill.