Chemotherapy #2

So it has been a week since my second chemotherapy session, which brought me to the end to cycle one.  Two sessions is one cycle, and I'm set up for six.  This time I had my chemo done in Saint Cloud, because I was home for Veteran's Day weekend.  Taylor and I got to enjoy a extra day home, which was really nice, but it still went really quick.  Anyway the day started very early.  We had to be there at 8am for labs.  So we woke up nice and early, Taylor stayed over so she could come with.  When we got to the Coborn Cancer Center I thought the place looked nice, it was big.  The Altru center is smaller in Grand Forks.  We parked and went in. At the desk to sign in the lady had me sign of a few things since it was my first time at the place, and then she told me I was here for labs and to meet with the doctor.  I told her that I had chemo that day too, but she said I did not and that the earliest I can get in is Monday.  This was not a good thing, because Dr. Gorouhi wants me to do it every two weeks on the Friday, not even waiting a day.  My Dad was really upset about this and tried explaining what needed to happen, then the lady made a call to see why my chemo wasn't scheduled.  After a bit we were told that I was going to receive my chemo on this day, but the doctor just wanted to see me before it was on the schedule, or something?  I'm not really sure.  I was given a paper and told to go put it in this slot and wait for my labs.  Right away I was brought back and had my blood drawn.  The lady didn't use my port, instead she used my arm.  That was okay I thought since I would have another needle soon in the port for the chemo.

There was a lot of waiting now after the labs.  We got there around 8 and got into chemo after 10.  While we were waiting there was another mix up that had to be fixed, something with the insurance.  Something had not been done prior to our little sort-of-transfer to Saint Cloud.  It wasn't good, but the lady who told us about it got it fixed fairly quickly.  Needless to say it stressed my Dad out some more.  So far he wasn't too pleased with the Coborn Cancer Center.  He kept saying that the people at the Altru Cancer Center were friendlier.  I thought this place wasn't bad.  Another strange thing happened while I was sitting there waiting.  A girl who I worked with in my previous two jobs now works there.  She came out to call for a patient, and no one was coming up.  I recognized her and waved and she came over and called for the patient again.  I looked at her and she asked if I was the patient, so I asked if she recognized me.  She said no, so I said okay.  Then she walked off.  Taylor thought the whole situation was very awkward, I was okay with it.  Ha ha.  Finally though it was time to go back!  I was brought into room number 5, which was a double room.  There is just a curtain separating my room from room 6.  Room 6 was empty, however.  There was a bathroom right across from me so that was nice because if I have to use it I have to drag along this thing that I am hooked up to with me.  There was a small television in a weird spot, to l watch it you had to really look up.  Since it was my first time in Saint Cloud, or maybe because it was still cycle one I had to do a test of the bleomycin (the B in ABVD).  This time it was only a half hour to watch for side effects instead of an hour.  No side effects so we went ahead with all of the chemo real smoothly.

Chemotherapy # 2

I had a bunch of visitors this time.  My dad and Taylor were there with me the whole time.  Samantha came to visit, and so did my dad's friend, and I got to meet my great aunt who was there because she also had a form of cancer.  Also the girl who who didn't recognize me earlier popped in and apologized saying she knew who I was.  I thought that was funny.  Turns out there was a calender in the room that had a very old photo of my great aunt on it!  Crazy!  

My great aunt when she was younger