Wow. Second post in one day!
It was a long day. Hubby and I arrived at 10:50 this morning. I was finally done at 5:00 this afternoon!
I was armed with my list and made my stand known. Yes, I was nice about it, but I WAS firm! This time I wanted answers for everything. I wanted details on everything they were doing and the exact names and specs on everything they were putting in me. I felt bad for the nurse, but my being this way is due to the lessons I learned the hard way the first time around! I did take the time to explain to her why I am being my own advocate. No, I didn’t tell her all the gory details, but enough so she could see there had been several problems before and the outcome of those problems. Once she heard them, she understood.
Here is the BIG difference from the first place I received chemo number one from. This nurse already had a lot of the information ready for me, and assured me I would be receiving it. And regarding the issues that needed to be ironed out such as coordinating between oncology and my dentist, no problem. She called him up right away and took care of it. My oncologist had forgotten to leave a prescription for pain pills for me today (she was gone today), but again, the nurse checked it out and took care of it. I did happen to mention that if the pain pills and dentist issues could not be taken care of before my chemo today, I would not be doing chemo and it would need to be rescheduled. She knew I was serious. It took about 45 minutes to get it all straighten out, but she did it and did it fantastically! And she still kept smiling!
The chemo itself was given to me at a much slower rate than the first time. Thus the reason this session was so long. The way I look at it, I have all the time in the world to live! I have no problem with their taking all the time they feel is necessary to work towards a successful session and to alleviate reactions from the chemo and/or the other meds.
And here is something else I find fantastic. My dentist is the one who called me this morning, at 9:00 a.m., as he knew I was scheduled for chemo today and he was worried that he had not been able to reach my oncologist yet. This dentist is wonderful. Talk about a doctor taking a REAL interest in their patient’s health and well being!
Yes, I think, I hope and I feel that finally I have a good team.
They gave me all kinds of things to work on keeping the nausea at bay, reducing the heartburn and acid reflux, keeping the pain to a minimum (I am hoping I don’t even get pain this time) and the shot of Neulasta, which I will be giving to myself tomorrow. The nurse sat with me and showed me how to do self injections. Before she showed me, she asked if I felt I would be able to give myself a shot. I told her that I am pretty much capable of anything I put my mind too. We both got a laugh out of that when she replied “I do believe you are. I have seen that myself today!” Yes, she did get a good dose of my strong-minded/willed side! And at least we were both able to laugh about it and part on a happy note.
Tonight I am feeling good! I am looking forward to still feeling good when I wake up in the morning.
And to my well-wishers who left me the touching comments on my first post today…… THANK YOU! I read them soon after arriving back home today and they made me feel even that much better!
(Geez, I sure hope there are not any English/grammar teachers reading this blog….I have been getting worse and worse with my sentence structure and proper noun, verb, adjective etc. usage! I can picture the marked up version, in red of course, that would be sent back to me! An “F” in grammar is short for “fabulous”, right?
3 comments:
Sweetie, I am so proud of you for the way you took charge and stood up for yourself. You were FANTASTIC!
Yes, it was a very long day, and yes, it was very much worth every second of it.
Athough I have not met the Dentist, I can tell that he is very concerned about not only your dental health but your entire welbeing.
The staff at the clinic is FANTASTIC! They really show that they care. Those nurses REALLY listen.
I tip my hat to them and all those in the nursing profession, it is they who are the backbone of health care.
I can already tell that this time will be much better than the first. You have a great support staff at the clinic with someone ready to help 24/7.
I am so proud of you and love you so much.
I'm so glad you're so strong now:D Strong in mind!!! And that makes you strong in body too. Keep cheering up yourself.
I don't know if you read Lance Armstrong's book, the first one, he says that he asked about EVERYTHING to his doctors and nurse, why they were giving him that, what dosis, why something different, how he would feel after it, why , why why, what why what hahahaha... Because he knew that the more inform he was of course from the right people (doctors, nurses) the more he would know how to recover and he wouldn't be surprise for side effects etc... I see you in that plan, I see an open mind cancer survivor which is amazing! Because that's what you need.
Me, as a cancer survivor have had hard time asking things like: what are my chances, why this chemo, what's next etc... because I'm afraid of the "screen" I think many many cancer patients are the same way ( I'm afraid to ask because I know what they tell me will upset me etc...) I've learned that the more correct information I know, the more it helps me to battle.
I'm so happy that you have your heart and mind in the most positive way. It makes me feel very happy!
So glad to hear this second experience went much better than the first. And don't worry about degrading grammar -- just blame it on chemobrain! I am still blaming things on chemobrain 2 years after finishing treatments.
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