First day of Chemo for Vicki Sam .. My most enjoyable experience thusfar ..
VickiSam
Member Posts: 9,079 Member
To all that follow my ramblings .. General Surgeron ..aka the Butcher, Regional Hospital who screw up path reports. Found this wonderful acs breast cancer site, and started my fight. Located breast cancer specialist .. 2nd opinon doctor - wonderful well educated, interim President several breast cancer associations .. Currently in Perth, Australia speaking on behalf of new Breast Cancer research and treatments. Meet with onc .. I can take him or leave him, but his staff and onc nurse .. is the Bomb .. in my mind Barbara makes up for his short comings. Port fiasco last Thursday, located in my arm not chest.
Pete (my husband) and I walked in signed in and waited a few minutes. Called for my finger prick .. checking my red and white cell levels. Back to waiting room, poor Pete hauled around my 2 bags of books, food, throw blanket and herbal tea. Cindy called me back explaining that Barbara is my regular onc nurse, however it is busy due to Monday being a holiday and office was closed. I sat down in my private chemo room, Pete in the chair next to me (I saw the horror on his faced) and thought to myself, this is just the beginning, babe. Cindy made me comfortable with pillow and small talk. She FREAKED out when she saw my port site .. blood clods and swelling .. she excused herself and brought back Barbara who examined my port site herself. Hummm what to do they said .. I wanted to scream or freak out, but I keep a brave face and suggested that we use a vein. Barbara said absolutely not .. We will ice you and put heated bean bags on the site. Well, so say the very least, I was very well taken care of. My port site inflamation is down, and my port trobbing at a tolerable level. The next 5 hours were heaven .. coffee, apple juice, cookies and a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. The food and drinks didn't stop, did I mention that constant pillow fluffing, warm blankets along with ice packs and heated bean bags every 45 mins. No allergic reaction to my chemo TCH cocktail, I thanked God.
I left onc center today with 2 new bean bags, and a bell to be used when I am upstairs and need my families help. But most importantly, confident.
A special thank you to my IDOL who has carried and supported me this journey, and all you wonderful caring, loving sisters in PINK.
God Bless, and stay stong.
VickiSam
Pete (my husband) and I walked in signed in and waited a few minutes. Called for my finger prick .. checking my red and white cell levels. Back to waiting room, poor Pete hauled around my 2 bags of books, food, throw blanket and herbal tea. Cindy called me back explaining that Barbara is my regular onc nurse, however it is busy due to Monday being a holiday and office was closed. I sat down in my private chemo room, Pete in the chair next to me (I saw the horror on his faced) and thought to myself, this is just the beginning, babe. Cindy made me comfortable with pillow and small talk. She FREAKED out when she saw my port site .. blood clods and swelling .. she excused herself and brought back Barbara who examined my port site herself. Hummm what to do they said .. I wanted to scream or freak out, but I keep a brave face and suggested that we use a vein. Barbara said absolutely not .. We will ice you and put heated bean bags on the site. Well, so say the very least, I was very well taken care of. My port site inflamation is down, and my port trobbing at a tolerable level. The next 5 hours were heaven .. coffee, apple juice, cookies and a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. The food and drinks didn't stop, did I mention that constant pillow fluffing, warm blankets along with ice packs and heated bean bags every 45 mins. No allergic reaction to my chemo TCH cocktail, I thanked God.
I left onc center today with 2 new bean bags, and a bell to be used when I am upstairs and need my families help. But most importantly, confident.
A special thank you to my IDOL who has carried and supported me this journey, and all you wonderful caring, loving sisters in PINK.
God Bless, and stay stong.
VickiSam
0
Comments
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Hello, VickiSam...
If I haven't already "officially" welcomed you to the group - well, I'll do it now. Glad you found us, though regretful for the reason - of course.
Wow! - so glad your very first chemo was such a pleasant, comforting experience.
My best wishes to you, that the remaining treatments will all be the same way.0 -
VickiSam
you have been through so much, I'm glad this one day went the way it should of for you. I didn't do chemo, but I know you need to get plenty of rest, and don't forget to drink alot of water.
I hope the next few day treat you as kind!
God Bless,
Aurora0 -
VickiSam
So glad to here you had a pleasing experience with your first day of chemo. The bell is a wonderful tool. Until you had mentioned it, I totally forgot I have one around her somewhere and forgot to get it out. We improvised with an intercom system called "yelling"!! Looks like I need to dig up my bell! ♥ Pammy0 -
Wow, that went great.....
glad your first chemo experience was so good. I also took bags of things to do and I ended up watching t.v. ha-ha. You were do for a good experience after the port fiasco.
Love and Light,
Vicki0 -
Sounds good
VickiSam,
I'm glad things have started going well for you. Although I'm not having chemo I remember reading your post about the port being placed in your arm - ouch. I'm glad the nurse, Barbara, figured out a way to work with it and made it comfortable for you and the experience pleasant. Feeling comfortable (and confident) with your caretakers is important.
At this point in my treatment I am really taking control of my life. My oncologist set me up to see a radiologist next week for a consultation. After I had the appointment I went online to look up the clinic and see what information I could find. What I found is that the radiologist I was scheduled to see is an expert in treating head, neck and prostate cancer and has only been at the clinic for a year. What?!?... So, I called the clinic and spoke to one of the nurses. I told her that after I'll I've gone through so far I didn't feel comfortable seeing someone who didn't specialize in breast cancer and had only been there a short time. She changed my appointment so I could see the radiologist who specializes in breast cancer treatments. We all deserve the best doctors, nurses and treatments that are available.
Good luck on the rest of your chemo treatments - I hope they all go as smoothly for you.0 -
Hi VickiSam,
Just wanted to
Hi VickiSam,
Just wanted to say hi and let you know I'm thinking off you. Hope you are resting and feeling better.I will be trying to do a 5 mile relay for life in Rialto tomarrow... whoa
5 miles. Good luck to me!
Take Care
Lorie0
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