Oh yes...the first chemo!

Well, I have survived! what an experience this has been so far. I am learning of a new depth of trust with God to lead me through this, and frankly I would go mad without knowing that he loves me, will never forsake me, and will never give me more than I can bear. I have to hold onto that everyday for strength. I am so thankful for my family and friends, for everyone who is praying for me and holding me up. My mom has been such a huge rock in my life. She has been to almost every doctors appointment, helping me to ask questions and get understanding on how I need to take care of myself and how to deal with this. She had to go through this already when my dad Steve was diagnosed so she has a lot of insight into the whole process. I couldn't of asked for a better mom and dad!

The low down...

I got to my doctors at 9am Monday morning to start my first chemotherapy treatment and hunkered down for the next five hours!!! The nurse sat me down in a comfy recliner, put a pre-warmed blanket over me, and took my vitals... Jaime sat in a chair next to me and then began the waiting game. A pharmacist came and went over some of the side affects to the different chemo I would be taking and went over my lab results and asked me questions on my current health (i.e. temperature, eating, resting). Then she orders me up a nice shot that I was not expecting for birth control. Nice.... I guess I don't want to get pregnant while doing this perhaps. And then...more waiting. An hour later I get started on some anti-nausea after they accessed my port and I wait another half hour while that drips into me. Next up...happy juice! Or "anti-anxiety" given on the first treatment for my poor nerves. That made me feel really good...I started laughing about bananas with Jaime, I don't remember what I said even now! Next up they began to give me a test dose of the first chemo, I don't remember the name...maybe called Dacarbazine, but apparently some people get a bad reaction to it when they initially get it injected. No problem there...half hour goes by and I wait. The next chemo the nurse injects by hand into my line with DOXOrubicin or what she called "the red devil". This is the one that will cause me to lose my hair and probably the most side effects. That one went down fine. Next two up, each a half hour were Bleomycin and Vinblastine. For one of these I had to suck on ice so it would stop the chemo from coming into the veins in my mouth area where it could give me mouth sores. Last but not least, they gave me the remaining dose of Dacarbazine which I did just so fine with and a half hour later I am done!!!! Oh happy joy! 5 hours, 5 bathroom breaks and very hungry, I get to leave.

The after...

Oh WOW. I have never know fatigue quite like I felt after the chemo. I felt like my body was jello and that my bones would not hold up. At least I did not throw up though! The weirdest feeling...I wanted to sleep so bad but my mind was still awake. So, the rest of the afternoon I just laid down and drank lots and lots of water! Its very important to drink water so my kidneys don't fail from the toxic cancer cells that are destroyed. but, I made it through like a good trooper!

Thank you everyone for your support and prayers...for food sent over (thanks Sharon) and just for being there. Continue to pray for me and fight this with me!

Shannon