It's Chemo Butt Kicking Time!

Today was chemo day #1.  It doesn't get anymore real than this.  Josh and I met mom at Hubert Humphrey Cancer Center @ 8:15 am to get this party started.  We chatted with Deb, the scheduling lady for a little bit, and mom got a chance to meet her.  Deb is going to be such a wonderful support for us all.  She's funny and is just so down to earth and personable.  I love the woman already!  Deb was originally going to set me up with a certain chemo nurse, but another nurse, Amy,  told Deb that she wanted me to be paired up with her. She remembered me from the very first day I stepped foot in the Hubert Humphrey lab to get blood work done after finding out what diagnosis I was facing.  I was a blotchy-faced, runny-nosed, bloodshot-eyed, blubbering mess is what I was.  Definitely not my most attractive moment, but it is what it is.  I'm glad Amy is my nurse though because she touched me so deeply that first day.  She didn't know the first thing about me but could tell I was hurting and stopped me on my way to get blood to pull me in to her and give me a great big bear hug.   She said, "we don't cry alone here!" and gave me kleenex to wipe my tears away, but then grabbed some to wipe her own tears away as well.  From that moment on, I felt like I had instantly made a new friend. 

When we got back to the room, Amy got me all set up with a couple different anti-nausea meds and a steriod to be pumped through my port first.  Being that I just had my port put in on Wednesday, it was safe to say that it was still super sore.  The pain I felt from the needle going into the port this morning is indescribable.  I let out a yelp and my eyes started running immediately.  It was awful.  Somehow I managed to pull it together though instead of crying like the big baby I wanted to be at that moment.  Once I got over that initial pain, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way.  While the anti-nausea meds and steroids went in, mom, Josh and I watched a little Regis & Kelly, along with Ellen.  We were laughing hysterically!  Just what the doctor ordered on a day like today with everything else going on.   A buzzer went off when my nausea and steroid drugs were done, and then I started getting nervous.  My heart started pounding and I started getting really warm because I knew what was next - ABVD (aka:  butt kicking chemo drugs).  Yes, the same drugs that may on some days try to kick my butt as well as the cancer's.  There is no turning back now.
 

You may be wondering what the heck ABVD stands for so I've listed the actual name below along with side effects. Of course keep in mind that I may not be affected by some of these side effects, but it's still good to know what they are just in case.  By no means is this little tidbit exciting or encouraging.  It may even be a little frightening, but it's informative.  What you decide to absorb is totally up to you, but the way I see it is... 

Knowledge is power. 

 A stands for Adriamycin

Side Effects: Can cause many side effects, including nausea, alopecia (hair loss), and neutropenia (depletion of white blood cells). It can also cause heart problems, such as arrhythmias, in some patients.

B stands for Bleomycin 

Side Effects: Can cause a fever, rash, alopecia, and Raynaud’s phenomenon (a discoloration of the fingers and/or toes). However, the most serious side effect is the occurrence of pulmonary fibrosis, which impairs the lungs.

V stands for Vinblastine

Side Effects: Can cause neutropenia, ulcers, blisters, and nausea.

D stands for Dacarbazine

Side Effects: Causes severe nausea in some patients, as well as neutropenia, headaches, fatigue, and diarrhea.

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It was about 11:30 and mom decided she needed to get back to work so she took off and Josh and I hung out the last 45 minutes of treatment.  We were chatting when someone peaked their head into our room.  It took me a second to register who it was, and then I realized, it's my beautiful friend Jen!  She, herself has been going through a lot with her own cancer struggles.  We reconnected via Facebook within this past year, and I couldn't be more thankful.  Jen's mom used to run a daycare out of her home, and so her mom would watch me and a few other kiddos too.  I started going to their home for daycare as early as 6 weeks.  Once my parents relocated out to Rockford I quit going.  I was getting at that age where I could easily stay home.  I'd say I was either 11 or 12 when we moved, and I'm 27 now, so it has definitely been a while since Jen and I have seen each other!  I can safely say, I never thought our reunion would be at a cancer treatment center.  Anyways, Jen was having a bit of a rough day today.  She shed tears, and I shed tears.  I wish I could have taken that pain away from her.  I strive to be more like you Jen.  You're such an inspiration and have the most wonderful attitude.  It's ok to have bad days.  I know I will have plenty, but know we love you girl! 

After chemo, Josh and I checked out Fantasia's which is a wig maker in Crystal, MN.  We didn't realize Fantasia's was a salon as well and didn't think about needing an appointment.  The owner was in and was just so wonderful to us.  She brought us back to a private room and gave us a consultation, letting me try on all different shapes and sizes of wigs. She put one on me that is just beautiful.  It's blonde, and it's even styled like I have my hair currently.  I think this wig was made for me, but the price tag is a bit steep - $1,500...yes you read that right...$1,500 for a wig.  It's made out of Cyberhair, which means essentially that I can shower in it and even work out in it if I really chose to do so.  I've attached the link below:

http://www.fantasiahairsolutions.com/services/hair-replacement/

We are going to check out a few others like the American Cancer Society and another place in Chanhassen that specializes in wigs for people my age.  We will see what we're able to find.  Hopefully the prices are not so steep, but the way I look at it, especially when it comes down to getting a good quality wig that will give me an extra boost of confidence and make me feel a sense of normalcy, that it's worth coughing up the extra dough.  You get what you pay for!