Friday 1.25.2008

Day 10, Treatment #1

I've felt great today!!! My head is clearing a little and I've had a little more energy. I still can't walk as fast as I think I can, and that's weird--I set off striding but have to slow down to let my perceptions catch up.

Dan and I went to Dr. Bolmer's office, which is really a large medical services building, for my lab draw. We arrived about 11:05 for our 11:15 appointment. I stop in front of the large wooden door and take a big breath before opening the door. I go to the window to sign in, and ask the girl behind the window if I needed to sign in for a lab draw. She said no, just tell me your name. Ok. We sit in the not-really-comfortable upholstered chairs to wait. Dan watches the tv-I think it was CNN-and I picked up a small "magalog" from one of the 2 reading materials rack. I haven't lost my hair, yet, but when and if I do, I'd like to be somewhat ready. This little magalog is a collection of headwear (hats, scarves, wigs, etc) for "medical hair loss" (chemotherapy/cancer) patients. It has a couple of different things I like, at reasonable prices, so I make note of those and keep the publication.

I go to use the restroom, which is down the hall, (not through The Door), and when I come out, the young black girl, who I recognized as the medical assistant I've seen on both of our previous visits and still haven't caught her name, asked me to sit here. "Here" is a large alcove in the hallway with a lab chair on each side of the opening, the chairs facing toward each other, or across from each other. You know, the kind of chairs with the moveable table attached for your arm to rest on while they do their thing. She, I think her name starts with L, did a fine job with the butterfly in the right antecubital and she was done drawing the small purple top tube. She asked if I was ok with a bandaid, and I showed her the fading red rectangular patches of skin where last week's tape was. Oh, she said, and offered the self-stick wrap stuff instead. I asked if I had to wait for the results, she said yes. I asked how long that would be, and she said 3 minutes. 3 minutes? I tried to look around so I could tell you what else was in there--across from me there was a chiller or a cooler with glass in the door, with many shelves kind of close together. And lots of items in it--I'll have to look at it better next time. There's another blood draw lady, too. She has brought in the woman who came in after I did, and had her sit in the vacant chair facing me, and they did their thing. The back wall was counter and cupboards, and the lab machines were on the counters. She turned around, picked up the paper as it came out of the printer, and looked at it. She looked up at me, asked me did I have a shot of something, Neulasta maybe? Yes, I had a Neupogen shot last week Thursday. Ok, she said, looking back at the results. These look pretty good. I ask her can I have a copy of the results? She says sure, and hands me the one she's looking at, pushes a button on the machine and prints another one for the chart. Cool. I glance at it and realize I'll have to look at it at home. I know that I have questions, but the skin on my hand is better today, and since we were about 15 minutes off on the appointment time, I decide to pass on pursuing answers. Thank you, Miss L.

I go out into the waiting room and get Daniel. We go over to Lowe's for a new furnace filter, then home. In the store, I forget, and try to keep up with him. Doesn't work. It's like I get lost in the sensories I'm experiencing. He turns around and sees that I'm about 4 steps back. Sheesh. He smiles, and waits for me.

Back home, we prepare food and get that in the oven. I notice that my breast has been sore all day today. The surgical site, like the breast tissue, or lack of, or the defect, or whatever you want to call it. Not the incision. Firm and feels swollen. And I think the right one is, too. Hey, I check the calendar. It's been 28 days since the last. Maybe it's hormones? Time will tell.

We have a bite to eat, I head to Jackson. Mom is good, I get her fed, washed up, and tucked into bed, and come home. I fussed in the kitchen a little while I visited with Dan, then sat down with a bowl of cereal. Before too long, Dan went off to bed.

I perused the internet for much longer than I should have before writing here; it's now almost 1 o'clock.

Thanks for reading. The threads we are weaving helped me through the door today. I am so blessed for the positive energies surrounding me. Hugs.