3.13.2007

So far so good

After all the necessary pre-treatment tests on Friday morning, my doctor finally called me in for a consultation and explained that the results showed that it would be fine to begin Herceptin and that I could begin that very day if I wanted. Before he signed the release he explained the procedure, possible complications and side effects again and reiterated that there have been some cases where patients with lung metastases have had severe and even fatal reactions and that I should be prepared to spend the weekend if the hospital if I showed any signs of breathing distress. After I mentally confirmed the state of my underpants (newish, no holes...), I assured him that I was ready to accept this possibility and we both signed the release to get the treatment going.

The chemo center was a little busy so I reserved a reclining chair and went upstairs for a cheap and light soup and salad lunch with fresh bread and a nice view from the 19th floor of the hospital before heading to the hospital cashier to pay in advance for my treatment. The hospital computer had my bill ready a few minutes after I had checked in to the chemo center, before I'd even started treatment, so I thought I'd save a little time and take care of the bill first.

When I returned to the chemo center, I only had a 5 minute wait for my chair and treatment began. They had a little trouble searching for convenient veins because my veins know about IVs and have all gone into hiding. If this treatment shows the success I'm hoping for, perhaps a portocath might be an option to discuss with the oncologist.

The Dom Perignon dripped for an hour and was chased by a small bag of saline solution and I had no side effects or reactions whatsoever. I finished in a little over an hour and was given the AOK to head home and to my afternoon class. It was a big relief to know that my body can tolerate this drug. I hope that it is as tough on the cancer as it is gentle on the system.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

I`m out here in blog reader land hoping for the best for you.

looking forward to updates and continued success.

Jan in Nagasaki.