Chemo / Radiation Day 1

1 down, 29 to go!  Sounds daunting doesn't it?   We are focusing on the number on the left right now.

Since it had only been 2 days since the port placement we hadn't taken the dressing from surgery off of his chest yet.  (That was to have happened tonight.)  Our sweet nurse Jeanette did it and oh so well she did!   Doug still had a lot of questions including the results from his PET scan.  She answered them all and even pulled up and printed those results.  Yep, it's still there.  However that is the only abnormality showing in his body so that's a BIG P.T.L.  !!

The chemo room is one entire wall of windows with "sections" of recliners with a little table and IV pole beside each one.  Then there are big screen TV's every 7 or so feet.  There is a snack area with drinks and crackers for the patients and caregivers pay 60 cents.  Pretty good deal in my book!

Doug did really well getting his port accessed for the first time.  It flushed well and she got a good blood return.  Jeanette told him that as she was drawing the blood and he told her "don't show me!"
She ran fluids and an antibiotic then she brought over the pump.  The needle that's in his chest has an iv line hooked to it that runs down to his waist and is connected to the pump which has another iv line running out of it.  It runs at 1 ml per hour and started at 48.  The pump fits into a fanny pack that he wears around his waist.  It says "Highlands Oncology Clinic" on it which he's not too crazy about.  Fortunately Summit shirts are button down and he can wear it not tucked so it works.

The chemo will run until Friday morning when he goes in at 10 to be de-accessed.  He gets the long weekend off and is already looking forward to taking a shower.  Not that he's not been getting clean in the bath tub, but to him it's just not the same!  Then he goes back in Tue the 3rd to get re-accessed and a new pump that will run all week.  Next Saturday he will go to Highlands Oncology in FYV as the Rogers location is not open.  And the cycle will continue from there.

After chemo we went downstairs to radiation.  The radiation tech was WONDERFUL and answered a slew of questions.   The one question she couldn't answer she went and got Dr Garner.  Doug's question to him was "how do you know if / how much the tumor is shrinking?  Do you scan for instance after 4 weeks?"  Really the answer was......just ok.  Based on research and after treating thousands of patients with the same condition this is found to be the best treatment.  And even if you did scan, unless you are an early responder, it wouldn't show shrinkage that soon.  At one point I asked a question and really felt as if he were patronizing me and he cut me off.  I let him answer and then said (calmly) "please let me finish."  He did and actually his demeanor didn't change so I guess I didn't make him mad!  At least I hope I didn't :)    We let each dr know this isn't our first rodeo (so to speak) and that is why we have so many questions.  Doug went back with them at that point and they re-marked him and he got "lit up."  He has 2 large marks on his hips and one large area below his naval they are shooting.

That was pretty much it today.  He feels fine so went back to work until about 6 tonight.  He goes in Thurs and Friday at 4pm as well.   I'll be real honest here, it's a little....ok a LOT un-nerving seeing the marks and knowing what's going on.  And yes, this is the same feeling as when they did it to our (then) 8 year old!

So day one is in the books.  Please pray protection over Doug, his organs, no side effects and the only repercussion to be the cancer and tumor are destroyed.    We are trusting in the name of the Lord our God!