Ding…Round 1 

I was nervous and anxious going into Thursday. I didn’t know exactly what to expect and the unknown is tough and scary. We arrived at the Fraser Valley Cancer Clinic (at Surrey Memorial) at 9am on Thursday, got checked in and was brought back into the chemo room (after a round of nervous coughs).

I was brought back to my “pod” by an incredibly lovely nurse. She was kind, personable and awesome. She gave me the grand tour of the Lazy-Boy chairs, the drink station (ginger ale, Gatorade, water and snacks) and the blanket warmer. Then another nurse comes over and gives me a big hug, turns out it’s the mom of a girl I went to high school with. Then another nurse goes behind the desk and hands be a box, on the top it says “Brave Box” and she says that someone wanted me to have it. My head is spinning and my original nurse laughs and says, “don’t think this happens every time”. My Brave Box was from a high school friend and was full with all kinds of treats (we won $1 on the scratch and wins!). I couldn’t think of a better way to start a shitty day.

As quick as it started, the fun was over and it was time for business. First piece of business is an onslaught of anti-nausea medications. Not just your average gravol, instead I have 4 big guns to hopefully keep the nausea and vomiting at bay. Once those were all in me it was time for the real deal to get started. Up first was the red drug – Doxorubicin. 3 vials of what looks like cherry Kool-Aid into the veins. Hopefully that means there’s little tiny Kool-Aid Guys inside me busting through any lingering cancer cells. OH YEAH!!!  Up next was the cyclophosphamide, this one hangs in a bag and is dripped through like saline over 45 minutes. Near the last 10 minutes or so of this one I started to get a sinus headache which is normal.

2 hours after we started it was done. Walking to the car I told Tasha that I felt weird, I wasn’t sure how else to describe it. Kind of light headed, woozy and tired. I Got home and slept for a half hour or so and then went to lunch with Cole. Felt a little weird still through lunch but was alright. By 4pm the nausea came knocking at the door and kicked my ass. I couldn’t do anything but lay in bed with my eyes closed, no TV, no talking, no sleeping. Just lie there feeling like the worst hangover I’ve ever had X 1000. And then the puking started. At least with a hangover you have the fun night before and maybe the cool stories about falling down the stairs, saving your drink and then thinking that the cup is actually empty so turning it over on your head and actually dumping a full drink on yourself, no? Just me? Anyone?

Yesterday I woke up feeling a little better and today is about the same – still nauseous and tired but manageable in comparison.

I have to give so much thanks to my rock in this whole mess. Tasha has been by my side and although we have already climbed a huge mountain together there’s still Everest to come. She has held my hand, comforted me, let me puke on my own (my preference), makes sure I’m fed and hydrated and loved. I couldn’t ask for more and I am so grateful to have her by my side.

Now we see how the next couple of weeks feel before we do it all over again.