Tuesday, May 21, 2013

A Long Day

Whew! After another coughing spell that made for a long night, our day began with me heading to school for half a day. Jim went to his regular radiation at 11:15 then we met back at the house around 12:30. After a quick lunch we went to the medical center for a chest X-ray and a one hour 'orientation' with the oncology nurse. She was awesome and really did answer many logistical questions and gave us some helpful resources. Then we went on to the chemo 'suite'. The entire staff was super nice and helpful and gentle with both of us. I think we both were a little freaked out walking in for the first time, but we were strong for each other.

His chemo infusion takes about an hour. The first 20 minutes are for an anti-nausea drip and then he gets the strong stuff. Like Marie suggested, we visualized each drip as a little pac man guy going to kill the cancer cells. Well, I visualized that. James actually fell asleep! This guy has no fear!


After chemo we went upstairs to see my doctor. For obvious reasons my stress level has been high, so she prescribed a little somethin' somethin' to take the edge off. Then across the hall to Dr. Krishna, the pulmonary doc who had placed Jim's stent. We saw him to talk about the coughing, which is a normal side effect of his treatments, but still a concern. So he prescribed a few things, including a nebulizer to help break up all the stuff Jim is hacking up...sorry, that is the nicest way I could think of to say that.

We are finally back home and both of us are decompressing. A very long day, but glad we have chemo day one behind us.


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2 comments:

  1. Jim is too cool for words, or exhausted from the long night of coughing. Whichever, he has mastered the art of getting sleep when you can! The grasshopper is a quick study :-)
    Glad he has a nebulizer, I am thinking they gave him albuterol?
    That should help a lot with his bronchospasms, although for some people can make you feel shaky and like you had one too many redbulls, usually goes away within twenty minutes.
    So glad you got a little somethin, somethin.
    Love to you both!

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  2. Me too..love you both. The nebulizer will help a ton...

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