Today I had the second half of my first chemo treatment. This was the Rituxan (the R part of R-CHOP). This is the medication that has a lot of precautionary measures taken before it is administered. I arrived at the clinic at 7:40 this morning. My chemo nurse, Renee (I know, what are the odds) gave me Tylenol & Benadryl first thing. These two medicines are to help with any possible side effects such as fever and/or itching and rash. After twenty minutes she started the Rituxan. This medicine is given very slowly for the first time; one drip every five seconds, then two drips every fives seconds, continuing until it reaches eight drips every five seconds. I did well up until the three drips per five seconds. I had fallen asleep and when I woke up my ears were itching inside and out and my neck was closing up. My nurse just happened to be coming back to up the dose when I discovered all of this. Before I could get out that my throat was closing, she raised her voice and said "oh my, you're having a reaction" and pulled the connection, rushed out of the room and grabbed a bag of steroids and a syringe of Benadryl. I could hear her yelling for someone to get a doctor. Can you say scary!!!! She ran the medications through and we started the Rituxan over again, from the beginning. When it got back up to three drops per five seconds, my throat started to get a little scratchy again and the redness on my neck was back. But I asked that we just forge through and monitor everything. As it was, the symptoms went away eventually. And I finished my chemo at 3pm!!!! What a long day!!!
I had a private room today. It had two Lazy Boys and a television. It was very sunny & bright, which was so nice. Doug started out the day with me. When I had the reaction we knew I wouldn't be getting out of there anytime soon and Doug needed to get to work (he just started his new job on Monday). So mom came in to be with me around 11:30. I took some pictures of her today, but I am pretty sure she would beat me if I put them up.
Doug made the most of his time there and worked on a website
With all of the Benadryl today - I was pretty sleepy and slept through most of the treatment.
So that's done - the first treatment is out of the way. Now I wait for the hair to start falling out...but bald is beautiful right???
Now I am sitting and resting. I ache all over and am very cold. The taste of food has already started to change...gotta love the chemo diet. Hopefully I will wake up and feel pretty good. I really would like to go to the gym this weekend!!!!
4 comments:
Renee, I hope all is well. You are an amazingly strong person, hope you get your gym trip in. Have a great weekend and rest up.
Danette
Hi Renee,
My wife just completed 6 rounds of R Chop in December. She also had a slight reaction to the first round, but after that she tolerated it well. Had a pet scan Jan 4th and with no evidence of disease the doctor says she is in remission. She will be on maintenance Rituxan for up to two years, hair is growing back fast, she is feeling great. May God bless you with a safe journey.
Renee~
Hang in there girl! You are amazing~ And bald is beautiful~ you know this means you get to buy that really nice Cashmere for a lovely hat! You are so worth it!
~Polly
Of course bald is beautiful. It will be a short term scar that everyone can see. You just hold your head high and walk around with it like your scar of victory singing I'm not going to take no I ain't going a take it anymore (cancer)! That's right just put your arms up and rub that bald head and laugh at cancer and know that your the strong one.
Some people say their hair comes in thicker and strong than before so you can hope for that too!
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