One down, five to go.

First I was pleasantly surprised to find out I am having 6 infusions.  Since my onc had said it was six months, I counted 8 or 9 at three-week intervals.  Of course the six have to do the trick. 

It went pretty well.  The first IV placed under my left index finger began to hurt after a couple of hours so she started another on my left inner forearm.  She bruised me and had a little trouble getting it started.  When I had about a half hour left to go the nurse noticed red marks going up my arm.  She asked if that was my rash and I said it wasn't.  My rash is like little tiny blisters, these were red lines, almost like crosses.  She called another nurse over and they decided to add another bag of saline solution.  Another nurse came over and looked at my arm.  She said, "that's nothing."  I just looked up at her.  She was rather tall and loomed over me.  She then said, "I have seen much worse.  I have seen where the red is all over the arm."  I just looked up at her again.  Now bear in mind that I was not complaining or even acting upset.  I figured they knew what they were doing.  I know my veins are shot and it really was up to my doctor to do something about that preemptively.

I feel like telling my onc about this nurse.  I don't usually complain, believe me.  But at my age and given my circumstance, I am tired of not speaking up.  I just want to say that she acted unprofessionally in my opinion.  I don't even know who she was.  She just appeared.  She could have said this is nothing to worry about, we will add saline solution and the problem will be corrected but she chose to pooh pooh the situation.  My nurse notified my onc who set me up for a picc line.

So today I am feeling a little "weird" but not bad.  I am trying to be proactive.  I am getting up a little earlier than normal so I can have breakfast.  I am drinking at least 2 quarts of liquids which was suggested by the pharmacist who visited me at chemo.  I had been going for 3 quarts.  My nurse called me and asked if I had taken the anti-nausea meds and I said I wasn't nauseous.  She said to start it so I would be ahead of the nausea.  The pharmacist said to take as needed but I went ahead and started it.

I did have a question.  Since I drove myself the nurse said she could not give me Benadryl (which is the one thing I was looking forward to).  She sthen asked if I had taken Zyrtec.  I said no.  She said you always have to.  I said no one told me.  Oh yes, she said you always have to take it before chemo.  I told her I had never been told that.  I mentioned it to the pharmacist and he seem perplexed.  I am going to email my onc.

Anyway ladies, just to let you know I am fine at this point.  Thank you for all your support and care.

Karen