Peeing like a racehorse

Let's try this again. I was almost done with my 1st day of chemo blog when it high-tailed its way into oblivion.

Thursday July 8th, 2010. I was actually looking forward to getting my chemo. I was always tired, feeling short of breath, had a nagging cough. I had pain in my abdomen going to my back & was especially mad when I could eat only small portions and would get full quicker.
I started out having my portacath checked by the IR nurses to make sure it was healed enough for use. I had the pleasure of having some dressing sticking to the dermabond (a glue-like substance used to close some surgical wounds). It's never a good sight seeing someone come at you with a pair of scissors near your neck & pulling on your skin. Ouch!
My sister, Judy, & I made our way to the oncology clinic from there. They started off by drawing my labs to make sure everything was fine before they could give me the main drugs, Gemzar & Cisplatin.
I was told to drink plenty of fluids before, during and after my treatment because Cisplatin has some harsh side affects on the kidneys. Plus they hydrated me with a liter & a half before starting the chemo. They were also vigilant with the anti-nausea meds. Believe it or not, we were told that if I were an alcoholic & smoker, I'd have a better chance of surviving the "nausea" phase of chemo because those 2 have a better tolerance to nausea, since they've experienced it more.
Of the 3 different anti-nausea meds, Compazine being the guilty party, had made me very sleepy. I fell asleep as the pharmacist tried to explain all the meds I was going to be taking. Thank goodness Judy was there to take that info for me. As soon as I got somewhat comfortable in the bed, all the fluids kept pestering my bladder to get out. So half asleep & on multiple trips to the bathroom, I had to drag my "temporary dance partner" what nurses call the IV pole, back & forth, where I had to pee in the "nun's hat", the receptacle that's easier for ladies to donate their specimens & for the staff to measure. What goes in must come out.
Not only did I get good service from the staff, I recieved plenty of great information of what to expect ie. fatigue and how to cope with it, what other side affects the meds may cause, where to get wigs, how to prepare certain foods during the phase where my immune system may go down, etc.. I'm able to have a few visitors during these sessions, 2 VA coworkers were able to sit with us for a while, which it's great to have someone watch over you during your first experience with the unknown. To be honest, my sister was more nervous about my treatment than I, she was also glad to see how I coped with it and got strength from me. She saw how a positive attitude, humor & sharing my feelings eased her mind in dealing with this.
The best part was when I got home & felt perky and energetic which our Aunt Helen was able to detect in my voice over the phone & it brought her to tears. I felt I could breathe easier & the pain in my back & abdomen subsided. I was able to crank out 4 songs vocally before pushing my luck. My other sister, Cathy, noticed that my nagging cough only occurred twice during our phone conversation. I didn't feel tired and when Jenny washed my hair in the sink again, bending over wasn't as painful as the last time. I was able to sleep in different postitions rather than just on my back & when my dog stepped on the left side of my normally painful abdomen, it didn't bother me. A day of relief was pure Heaven.