day after first chemo

Well, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.. I walked to the cancer center from campus, so I could get my daily exercise done (I assumed that it would be harder after chemo, and boy I was right), it was a nice walk. Except in the first 10 minutes I remembered that I had to put a numbing cream on my port, so that when they put the needle in it wouldn't hurt that much. I had planned to do that in the privacy of my office (which I couldn't go in yesterday because I forgot my college keys at home) but I could have done it in the restroom if I had remembered it on time.. Sooo, in the middle of the road, I took down my bags, took out the cream plus the saran wrap that I was supposed to put on out of my purse, pulled down my shirt, and smeared the cream over the port, it got pretty messy, because the place the port is located on my chest is barely visible even when I make my eyes crosseyed and look down. But I got it, the people living next to the house, where I was doing most of this application were a little worried but they did not bother me. So I finished up my walk, not a bad one at all, but I think next time I will choose one of the calmer streets to minimize the exhaust gas that I had to inhale.

My sister arrived at the same time as me, we checked in and waited. The nurse who came to pick me up happened to be the only "male" nurse who works in the chemo ward. Very nice person! very funny also... I changed the long sleeved shirt that I had one for another that had a good access to the port. He took my vitals (i.e. blood pressure, temperature, etc.), then prepared the needle that was supposed to go into my port. To be honest I was a little scared that it was going to hurt, but NO!! Thanks to EMLA cream, I did not feel a thing. then he covered it all, and hooked me up to benadryl, some steroid, and another thing that I cannot remember right now. Orally I was given Ativan. And let me tell you, within 3 minutes of all of these, I felt like I had drank a glass of wine in one gulp! I felt so loopy (I still feel a little like that). When the premeds were done we moved to the real stuff "Taxol", and that went like a breeze.
The chaplain of the cancer center, who happened to be a new friend's sister in law, came by to chat and we exchanged stories.. my sister sat next to me and read her stuff, and I tried to watch a TV show, but could not even follow that,.. I was hoping that I could get some work done, but no sir! it is not going to happen...

Anyway as soon as I got home I decided to take a nap, which ended up much longer than I thought, and then had a great nights sleep. So far no nausea, no headache.. most side effects I got are from the premeds..

Next week will be full of other appointments, shrink, physical therapist, oncologist and then chemo again... I am so glad that my family is here to give all the support that they give, it would have been very hard to arrange the kids schedule and mine, and keep the house going.. I feel very lucky..

Anyway love to you all...