Chemo #5

Chemo #5 was on Monday. My first appointment is always a blood draw. Two hours before the blood draw, I apply a thick layer of EMLA Cream (lidocaine 2.5% and prilocaine 2.5%) on my port and cover it up with plastic wrap and bandages. It numbs up the area so that I don't feel the Huber needle when it's inserted in my port. I learned in the past that applying the cream 1.5 hours before the blood draw didn't numb the area enough, so I always do it two hours early. The needle is left in my port after the blood draw so that it can be used for my chemo infusion.

About an hour later later, it's time for my infusion. A nursing assistant checks my height (it changes for some patients!) and weight (down to 98 lbs. 😮). Then they take me to an available infusion chair in an open area. The chairs are separated by curtains for privacy. But the Stanford infusion center has a certain number of private rooms available. I've been lucky so far in that I've always been able to get a private room. 

The nursing assistant checks my blood pressure, oxygen and temperature. At some point, an order is placed at the pharmacy for my chemo drug based on my latest height and weight. 

My nurse for the day then arrives and gives me premeds and starts a saline drip. The first two times I got Taxol, I was given three of the premeds intravenously (Pepcid, dexamethasone, Benadryl). Zofran was given to me in pill form. Starting with this third session of Taxol, only Pepcid was given thru the IV and the rest were in pill form. Dexamethasone should be taken with food, but I didn't want to break my fast. I took a chance that Pepcid will take care of any upset stomach, and it did.

The room usually feels cold, and I ask for two blankets. They're quite warm, as if they're fresh out of the dryer. Then I wait. The pharmacy must be very busy because it often takes two hours to get my chemo drugs ready. In the meantime the Benadryl makes me drowsy, and I manage a 20-minute nap.

A side effect of Taxol is peripheral neuropathy. To avoid that side effect, I apply cold packs to my feet and hands as soon as the Taxol infusion begins. You can see in the photo the blue cooler I brought with several cold packs. I also ask for a cup of ice that I chew on. It's supposed to help prevent mouth sores.

The Taxol infusion takes an hour. The Taxol and saline drip makes me pee several times. I have to drag the IV stand with me every time I go to the bathroom. 

When the Taxol is done, the nurse removes the Huber needle from my port and applies a bandage. My first appointment was at 10:20, and I didn't leave until 3:15. That's five hours for basically a one-hour infusion with a lot of waiting in between.

My cousin Nancy gave me a ride this time. I think I'll be okay driving myself for these infusions, but friends insist on giving me a ride, so thanks.