CHEMO TREATMENTS EXPOSED

I decided to write today about the comical episode of my first chemotherapy treatment. I have been given a great ability to make any situation amusing.

The first day that I received the treatment everything was great except for the over-stimulating adrenaline that came with the knowledge that they were going to fill my body with some drugs that kill everything in their pathway. Oh, that along with the nurse that came out all dressed in blue from her head to her toe, just to MIX UP my chemo.....WOW. I was thinking, besides looking like something out of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, that is the stuff you are mixing to go inside ME! What a mind-pleasing thought to ponder.

After about 1 hour of the slow-dripping, I felt a slightly damp place on my arm. Water, I thought? Ha! Not hardly. My needle was bent in my arm, probably from my clumsy attempts at going to the ladies room, and the chemo was actually dripping down the side of my elbow. That was not good. Then it started to burn and I voiced my agony to the nurses and everyone else in the room at the time. "Hey!!! This is BURNING!" My husband is sitting quietly going, "Honey, are you sure it is burning? It's still dripping, everything is fine just relax". That was probably one of the not-so-smartest things he has ever said to me since we have been together. He GOT THE LOOK. :-( You know, the look. I got louder. "NURSE...Hey.....Nurse!" She had stepped out and nobody was beeping. Finally, someone heard me. AHHHH. I told her, "Please, this is not feeling right and it is burning and look here, there is something wet on my arm and the side of my elbow and my pants." She was surprised, "Oh, let's take a look honey." Quick Note: I do love my nurses at the Infusion Treatment Center where I go. Anyway, after pulling off the tape they found a bent needle, removed it all and had to re-enter the IV into my wrist for the remainder of the treatment. My hubby left the treatment center for a while, for his benefit of course. He could not take the, "I told YOU SO's". I was comfortable from that point on and yes, I ventured to the bathroom 2 more times after that and was EXTREMELY careful.

We have to share a television at the center so, once the nice gentleman that was there before me left, he ever-so-kindly handed me the remote to the television. I was ecstatic! I immediately flipped the channel to the Food Network for some cooking tips.

There was another nice older farmer in there who kept telling me, "I can't hear you, my hearing aids are not working so great!" Then he told the story of how he always puts on his sweatshirts over his head and knocks out his hearing aids in the process. He said that he never notices it until later in the day when he is talking and then he realizes they are missing. I got the biggest chuckle out of that one and I thought I should share it with my followers.

Now, I am going to leave you temporarily to Chat online with some peeps. I will be coming back in a bit to write about all of the side effects that I personally have had to deal with since this lovely chemo moment.