We're Live Live Live

Despite my infection debacle, my blood counts are looking really good this morning. My neutrophil counts are almost at the normal range even. So, since I'm still taking the antibiotics and everything continues to drain well and I don't have any pain... it's a go for chemo.

12:15 p.m.
Soon as I saw my oncologist and he approved the chemo orders, they were quick as bunnies to get me into the infusion room, accessed and started in on the anti-nausea drugs. I had my morning chauffeur take a detour to Water Street for breakfast and lunch items, and a lovely steamed milk. Just now getting to my black bean breakfast burrito, spicy and tasty. My energy level is really high today, so I hope the atavin doesn't mellow me out too much this round. I'm sure that by the end of the day all my pep will have pooped, but it's nice having it with me for now.

12:25 p.m.
First anti-nausea med is done. Second being loaded in now. I remember laughing at my first treatment about how it seemed like overkill to pump me full of four different anti-nausea meds. It seemed unbelievable that it could really be that bad. But then I went home that first time and threw up anyway. I really need to stop chalking all the "Danger, danger Will Robinson" talk up to drama and remember that we're dealing with some serious shit here. It is easier to laugh it off, or spin to the positive than to sit down in the infusion room, look around and see the crap that so many different people are dealing with on their personal cancer journey. Some look pretty well, like me. Others are pretty wiped out and have clearly been struggling. It's humbling and real and hard.

1:20 p.m.
Enjoying some lovely lemon poppyseed cake from Water Street along with some hot cocoa. My pump was beeping, declaring done with the last anti-nausea, so it's time to start the actual chemo drugs now. The long two hour stretch begins. Going to catch up on FB and have a bathroom break.

1:49 p.m.
Nurse just came by with the paperwork for my latest PET scan scheduled for next week. This will tell us how the chemo is affecting the lung tumors. If it's eliminating them, then we just continue on the chemo regimen until things are stable enough for resection of the lymph nodes and/or any remaining tumors. Still a long haul of this ahead of us. But at least we'll have some answers about how the process is going in another couple of weeks.

3:25 p.m.
That was an unexpected and good nap. And now we're basically done. One last shot of chemo and pump hook-up. Gotta let my ride know and close out this edition of live chemo blogging. Stay classy friends.