First Chemo Down

Longer recap: Chemo treatment #1 - I got to the center at 8:45 am and left at 5:30 pm. This session was extra long because they made me take a new patient class. (The educator in me wanted to change so many things, but that’s for a future suggestion box.) My chemo regimen includes 2 drugs. I had an allergic reaction to the first chemo drug they gave me so that was a bit scary. I felt hot and my chest hurt. It started to get hard to breathe. I learned that it’s very important as the patient to be able to articulate and explain very weird sensations while they are happening. The nurses had to rush to flush my system and give me an antihistamine and then start over. When they administered the same drug the second time, the nurse said you’re so brave. I was like, “Wait a minute, am I supposed to be scared?” I never thought about the dangers of a second allergic reaction. Might have been more ignorance than bravery. Anyway, I didn’t have a reaction the second time, but they had to go very slowly. Then they gave me the second drug. I had a reaction to that, but it wasn’t dangerous just very uncomfortable. My sinuses and head felt like I had inhaled horse radish for 20 min. Once it was all over I felt physically fine but mentally exhausted. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. I’m claiming today a success and a blessing