Documentary of Chemo#5 - Quite a Good Day!

So - Chemo #5 of 6 is DONE!  It's still very weird to see the building so secured.  I did wear a mask for parts of the day but not when eating Lorna Doone's, drinking Coke and eating salted nut rolls and caramels!!!

I had to think of a name for this day and "Chaos in Chemocare", Episode 5 of 6, Season 1 would be it.  The good things:  good labs, good staff, good box seat in the chemo "theatre", excellent hearing and eyesight so they couldn't even tell I could hear every word they were saying to others and on the phone!!  The day went unbelievable fast for the 6 hours there and I told Ross told I almost wanted to stay longer but you know how episodes work - always a question at the end of what will happen next😀👅😷😎.  A couple photos below this!

Good afternoon!!!

First thanks for all the good vibes, wishes and prayers as it definitely works!

1. I can’t remember if I told you that the CA125 was down again when they checked labs last Friday – 130 so going down at the speed of a turtle😊 – but it’s the right direction so says the doc.
2. By adding on more  days the important blood counts hit the normal range so we’ll see when they schedule the last one as now it is April 16 – only 13 days from now so won’t happen.  Will update when I get the new date.
3. So here is the documentary I will release called “Chaos in Chemocare”!!  I’m glad I have excellent hearing😊
4. I had a box seat in 1A with a view over the big nurses’ station and all the way across to other rooms and they now don’t close the curtains so they don’t have to touch them.  Again great nurse and the staff is so much fun!  The one today called me “Tangle Lady” as every time I took my IV pole to the bathroom my infusion tubes would get all tangled – they worked fine but she said she was at least good at untangling!!!
5. EMERGENCY:  A patient younger than me with a chemo headwear way across started flushing face,  gasping, coughing, barfing in a bag, dizzy  and soon all the staff was running there, doctor called and they called others a few times.  Since she had previous chemos they tried to figure out the allergic reaction and decided it was possibly some new med she took at home – maybe over the counter aka OTC.  Whew- so they gave her IV Benadryl and in a while could do the chemo.
6. STAFF WORRIES:  Since M Health and many others are cutting staff and hours today was the day they got the word from Fairview/MH.  It’s hard to hear all the young hard working health care workers get the word of cut hours, changing to on call work, possible move to another position and more.  My still working friends are part of this.
7. THEN THE BIG ONE!  After all this I hear that a chemo patient just arrived in 1A (first room by the exit door)  I was in 3C at the “way back– as they were doing labs in the chemo rooms and not the regular lab rooms – they found she tested positive for the COVID-19 just today  and were a little panicky about who would get her out of there!  Decided to call paramedics, called her Uber driver, and she was quickly gone out of the building.  Glad I had my mask on.  I’m sure that will be the most sanitized “cubicle” in the Infusion area.
8. So I heard next step will be to move the lab department to another site – maybe even another building and people may have to have their lab draws 1-3 days prior to chemo.
9. So I decided a while ago it’s better to send this in the first 24 hours as then how I feel gets me a bit in a complaining mode but at least I know what I need to do!!!  WHAT DID I MISS???

LOVE AND THANKS AND HUGS TO EVERYONE,

DJ

So Ross makes a solo trip to our local grocery and jelly beans were on my list (like a small bag).  But this sweet guy bought me two big bags of the best and favorite jelly beans which I rarely buy because I am a cheapskate!!!

 Chemo # 5 of 6 and I hate masks because when I breathe my glasses get fogged.  If I take off the glasses I can't see since  I have worn glasses since I was 10 years old!

 It's wierd that only patients are allowed in and even the doctor's area offices are only taking essential patients so I got a telecall yesterday and last week too.  And this is the corner where Ross would have been if anyone would have been allowed in.

 Even though I had the two Lorna Doone small packs left from last week I kept them in my tote and of course when asked - duh???  And the nurse brought one pack and said they were running low on them in the free place!  This coronavirus has some serious consequences👀👄

 And again I thanked daughter Jenny for the perfect Christmas gift as it took a couple hours to get 21 out of 24!  Dang I want to get 100%!  If you click on the pictures you can see it better and maybe someone will find the last 3 mystery words!!!

 I walked outside the last 3 days in the beautiful sunshine and this was in the prayer garden of the church a block from us - green and blossoms close to popping.  And the chive has popped up in my backyard.  Woohoo.

 Another day we had a Ross and Dee date to Costco during the old people hours of 8-9am.  Long line but 6 ft distance good and we had to take a number - we were 203 and 204 and the max was 225 people allowed so a few people farther behind us got turned down. 

 And we scored even with the Limit 1 sign!

 My sweet little grandniece's birthdays are coming up soon so I decided to try a project and make personalized bookmarks and a couple other gifty things which I will not disclose yet.

So - since the next chemo is currently scheduled for Apr 16 with the regular appts of lab, doctor and infusion that will have to change as it's 13 days from this one.  They have a lot to figure out as they have to figure out all the patients scheduled now for lab draws and have them go to a new place.  Holy cow!  The chairs in front of the doctor office area were all stacked up and totally covered with plastic - my friend calls this whole thing "Twilight Zone" and I agree.
All for now - mentally ready (sort of) for the next 4-5 crappy days which I have dealt with often enough that I do not panic!