Today I went for fluids, steroids, and neulasta injection. Neulasta is the one that stimulates my bone marrow to make new white blood cells. This is an effort to counteract the effects of the chemo wiping out those cells. I have heard horror stories about the skeletal pain associated with this injection. I have been really lucky so far though -just some aching joints and headache. Thank heavens for a high pain tolerance!! Another bit of good news. Today while I was at the infusion center they made arrangements for me to get treatments at home! I went home today with several boxes of supplies including an IV pole!! I will give my own fluids and IV steroids through my port for the next 2-3 days. That is great because it means that I don't have to leave home to receive my treatment! I will need to go into the hospital only for lab draws and the actual chemotherapy treatments. This will also save a significant amount of money because we are just paying for supplies and not the infusion center fees. Plus it helps me feel like a nurse while I'm not working :). I'm back in quarantine for the next few weeks. I so enjoyed a few days of being out and LOVED being able to attend church. I gather such strength from all of your kind encouraging words! Please know how very blessed I feel. I have received such tremendous support from everyone! So very thankful for my family and dear friends. A special thank you to Gramita. It's her birthday tomorrow. She has been wonderful to help with kids, clean, provide food, and generally offer support. I guess you are never too old to need your mama when you are sick! Love to everyone and thanks for your ongoing support.
What a lucky treat it is to actually get a message from Melissa at this point. She says she is not throwing up very much but is still feeling like she should. She is feeling "dizzy and whirly" which is no fun. The steroids are in a higher dose this time and it is making her heart feel like it is racing but she doesn't have enough energy for her legs and arms to be running (which is what happened last year when she had to have the high doses of steroids for her eye.) She was worried that she might wear out her blanket because she plays with it and wrings it when she is on the steroids. Even with all of this she said that she feels significantly better than she did on day 2 of round 1.
This is a picture of Melissa's brother, Austin, and his son, Max (age 4). They are showing their support all the way from Michigan! Max calls it his "baldy hair", how cute :)
Feeling very grateful, that as crummy as Melissa feels, it is still better than the 1st go round with chemo...also grateful she can administer her IV fluids from home. Dr. MIRANDA has taken such good care of her, and is trying everything he can to make these treatments as bearable as possible! Melissa continues to be a source of strength to me, and I am blessed beyond words to be her Mama!
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