Chemo, Round 3

Yesterday's latest round of chemo can best be described as a clusterf*@%. And though I was thinking this all morning, it was actually one of the staff members that used the term out loud first, so at least I wasn't the only one that felt this way.

First, I did set myself up for a minor delay by showing up 15 minutes late. I woke up early, got the kids up and out, and then had time to go back to sleep for about 45 minutes. When I woke up the second time I felt BAD. I had a headache and felt a little queasy, and was contemplating not going. There's two schools of thought here: you're feeling like crap anyway, so why not go get poisoned; or I already feel bad, I'd prefer not to feel worse. We called to the doc to ask what would happen by delaying treatment a day, but didn't get a call back right away. And since I figured she'd still make me come in to at least get checked out, I decided to go for it. But I wanted it noted that even though I wasn't running a fever and my lab work looked fine, I felt like crap the whole time.

So, the appointment was for 10am, (we got there at 10:15am) and the place was SLAMMED! Crazy busy like I've never seen before. Questions rolling through my mind: did all these people just get diagnosed? Did they all switch treatment days? What the heck is going on? And, don't get me wrong because I really do love the senior set, but EVERYONE here today is four DECADES older than I am...at least. And why aren't any of them losing their hair? Hmmm...

There's no room in the inn so to speak, so at 10:45am I get shoved in a chair in the corner, literally. They weigh me and take my blood pressure, and then I have to SIT until a room opens up. I send Keith to get me lunch now, because it's going to be awhile with nothing to do but stare at each other. The doctor comes to visit (which she always does before I get drugged up), but can't really do much because my labs aren't back yet. This would be because they haven't even taken my blood yet. Yep, it's gonna be a long day...again...

I finally get my own room at 11:45am and the process finally starts. I don't end up getting home until around 3:45pm. Fun day! I did learn that there were a few reasons for the overcrowding today. (1) The weather was cold and icy, so several people were concerned and showed up EARLY and they let them go. (2) The people that schedule the appointments ask you what time you'd like...and then they give it to you...even if there aren't enough spots to serve everyone that wants the 10am appointment. Call me crazy, but that'd be like giving all the teachers in my school 6th period planning because they asked for it. Sounds fun, but doesn't really work out that well.