CHEMO #2 and BLESSINGS ABOUND!

Monday, day before chemo, was a very long day. I went to work at 5:30 am. Got off at 1 pm and drove straight to Jacksonville to be with my little grandson, Logan, who had been taken by ambulance to the hospital because he was having difficulty breathing. The emergency room was filled with staff who wore masks and patients who were coughing and sneezing. Even though I knew this wasn't the best place for me to be, I asked God to heal Logan and keep me from getting sick also. I thanked Him that I even had the strength to be here to help. WHAT A BLESSING!

Tuesday, chemo day, started at 5am. Holly called from the hospital and said Logan was feeling and breathing better. WHAT A BLESSING! I went in to wake up little Wyatt and he looked up at me from his sleepy eyes and gave me smile that lit up his dark room. Every day should start like this. WHAT A BLESSING!

I got Wyatt to daycare at 6am when they opened. It was hard to leave him so quickly but I knew I would barely make it back to Orlando for an 8:15 appointment with my oncologist and 9am chemo.

When it got to be 8:00 and I was still an hour away from Orlando, I called my oncologist and rescheduled an continued driving. I made it to chemo 30 minutes late but they didn't seem to mind.

I warned the nurse about my persnickety port but she said she had a bag of tricks for that, and indeed she did. She put the non-numbing numbing spray on and put the needle in the port. That is the worst part of the whole treatment for me. I can get stuck over and over for an IV but hate having that tender port accssed. She told me to raise my left arm, turn my head to the right and cough. And sure enough, the port drew back the very first time! WHAT A BLESSING! She drew the labs and sent them. The results came back quickly and all the numbers passed well enough to start the chemo. The hemoglobin is still very low but had come up 3/10th of a point in the last week since taking the iron supplements. WHAT A BLESSING!

The chemo room was freezing today, but I had my quilt and it kept me warm and gave me pleasure to read all the squares with the kind words from my friends. I get so many comments on how nice the quilt is. WHAT A BLESSING!

This time I brought some phenergan with me and took it at the beginning of the treatment. It made all the difference in the world because I wasn't the least bit naseous. Only bad part is that it combines with benedryl and I slept for the next 6 hours. I don't even remember the conversations with Carl on the way home. But I woke up with no nausea! I think I will make that phenergan a weekly tradition. WHAT A BLESSING!

When I finally woke up, I was able to go to Dylan's little league game and Eric's softball game and not feel too sick. WHAT A BLESSING!

Day 1 of chemo #2 is over. Before falling into bed, I spent time on my knees, thanking God for BLESSINGS abound in my life!