This is the day, this is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made.
I will rejoice and be glad in it, I will rejoice and be glad in it.
Chemotherapy started today. Exactly 21 days since this cancer detour began. What a wild and crazy three weeks! Then it hit me so hard today that this is real. I ended up bolting from the room twice before we got started. The first time was just plain and simple a 'fight or flight' response. I had arrived 10-15 minutes early and then sat waiting in the waiting area for another 20+ minutes beyond my appointment start time. That was not good. When they took my blood pressure, it was much higher than I have ever seen it in my life!! That caused the 'fight or flight' to kick into overdrive and I bolted.
We agreed to talk about it 'outside' where I could breathe. So, technically, I didn't bolt twice... the second one was a supervised visit to the out of doors as a pre-treatment excursion. ;-) In a few minutes I was back inside and my blood pressure had gone from 160/Something to 125/Something. Then they got the port hooked up, got me in a chemo seat (very comfy) and spent the next 4.5 hours infusing KCA slow drip cancer killing warriors into my system! Tom texted me right as we were starting the infusions, "This is day 1 to recovery. Love you". What a great attitude!
Huge shout out to Steph and Tom. They are beyond brave. Both insisted on coming to chemo today to make sure I wasn't alone. I know I said, "No, thanks" to many of our friends because I was afraid of how I would respond with you there the first time. But, I cannot and will not say, "No thanks" to Steph and Tom. They are in this as much as I am.
Steph took the first shift and was just the right person to be there. She trusted that I would come back. :-) Tom arrived a couple of hours later and sat there while I slept (Benadryl to prevent an allergic reaction) so that Stephie could go to work. I love my kids. I love the strong, independent, and caring young adults they have become!
Chemo took about 4.5 hours. It will take less next time because they start with a bonus dose of the Herceptin on the first visit. They load each KCA warrior troop sequentially and before the KCA troops can be loaded in, they frontload a bunch of spies and secret agents that help the troops once they arrive (steroids, mainly). The Herceptin was about 90 minutes (an hour next time). The Taxotere was about an hour and the Carboplatin was 45 minutes or so. The three drug cocktail is known as HCT. We had a Benadryl stand-down for about 45 minutes too. That was to treat some potential allergic reactions so that they didn't get worse and have a cascading negative effect on my ability to breathe (an essential element to getting well). I can walk around, eat lunch, snack, chat, and use my ipad/phone. Steph went to the cafeteria and got us some lunch.
It feels good to be fighting now!
Some of you were texting and messaging me. I tried to keep up, but the Benadryl got the best of me and I ended up sleeping most of the time.
I will rejoice and be glad in it, I will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made
~~Theme Song for Noah's Ark Preschool
Chemotherapy started today. Exactly 21 days since this cancer detour began. What a wild and crazy three weeks! Then it hit me so hard today that this is real. I ended up bolting from the room twice before we got started. The first time was just plain and simple a 'fight or flight' response. I had arrived 10-15 minutes early and then sat waiting in the waiting area for another 20+ minutes beyond my appointment start time. That was not good. When they took my blood pressure, it was much higher than I have ever seen it in my life!! That caused the 'fight or flight' to kick into overdrive and I bolted.
The nurse asked Stephie (who insisted on coming with me) if I would be coming back. Stephie, in typical Simpson fashion, replied, "Well, she can't get far because I have her keys". As I ran out three doors to get outside, I just needed to clear my head and regroup. I did. Walking back in, though, the nurse stopped me at the door and asked if I wanted to talk about it.
We agreed to talk about it 'outside' where I could breathe. So, technically, I didn't bolt twice... the second one was a supervised visit to the out of doors as a pre-treatment excursion. ;-) In a few minutes I was back inside and my blood pressure had gone from 160/Something to 125/Something. Then they got the port hooked up, got me in a chemo seat (very comfy) and spent the next 4.5 hours infusing KCA slow drip cancer killing warriors into my system! Tom texted me right as we were starting the infusions, "This is day 1 to recovery. Love you". What a great attitude!
Huge shout out to Steph and Tom. They are beyond brave. Both insisted on coming to chemo today to make sure I wasn't alone. I know I said, "No, thanks" to many of our friends because I was afraid of how I would respond with you there the first time. But, I cannot and will not say, "No thanks" to Steph and Tom. They are in this as much as I am. 
Steph took the first shift and was just the right person to be there. She trusted that I would come back. :-) Tom arrived a couple of hours later and sat there while I slept (Benadryl to prevent an allergic reaction) so that Stephie could go to work. I love my kids. I love the strong, independent, and caring young adults they have become!
Chemo took about 4.5 hours. It will take less next time because they start with a bonus dose of the Herceptin on the first visit. They load each KCA warrior troop sequentially and before the KCA troops can be loaded in, they frontload a bunch of spies and secret agents that help the troops once they arrive (steroids, mainly). The Herceptin was about 90 minutes (an hour next time). The Taxotere was about an hour and the Carboplatin was 45 minutes or so. The three drug cocktail is known as HCT. We had a Benadryl stand-down for about 45 minutes too. That was to treat some potential allergic reactions so that they didn't get worse and have a cascading negative effect on my ability to breathe (an essential element to getting well). I can walk around, eat lunch, snack, chat, and use my ipad/phone. Steph went to the cafeteria and got us some lunch. It feels good to be fighting now!
Some of you were texting and messaging me. I tried to keep up, but the Benadryl got the best of me and I ended up sleeping most of the time.
Special Shout-out to the Gig Harbor Comfort Quilters!! My handmade quilt is amazing! Thank you for making a very difficult time a little easier and cheerier. Special Shout-outs to Sheila for the delicious and hot pumpkin pie and to Becky, who has been keeping a good watch on me and dropped off a special air-head friend to watch me when she can't. :-)
Am feeling good tonight. Queezy, but good. Thank you, everyone, everyone for your good thoughts and prayers today and everyday. We have boots on the ground inside my body and your great faith and hope on the outside. Keep battling for Team Simpson! Failure is not an option!
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