Dogs

Got to 8LP around 8.  Met by a caring tech who took us right to the room.  Room 828.  More 8's.  She got me settled in bed then did vitals.  Got us blankets.  So cold in the room.  Got me an Orlando Health cup of water.  Bill and I looked around the room.  Had a regular chair, a lounge chair, refrigerator, closets, drawers, shelfs for personal things, TV (never turned it on), a bed for me and a pull out bed in the way for overnight quests.  Regular hospital room ready for patients that need to stay.  Very nice.

Kristy, my first nurse, accessed my port with lines and drew blood to go to the lab.  She explained a bit about what was going to happen throughout the day.  Labs take longer because they are processed by the lab that does all the hospitals (ORMC).  When we are on 5LP, they have their on lab and pharmacy.  5LP pharmacy does 8LP's labs  When she left, I did nap a bit.  Not long though.

Melinda was my stay all day nurse.  Labs were back at 11.  All looked good.  We are ready to roll.  Melinda gave me the premed drugs to help with side effects.   Benadryl, Singular, Tylenol around 12. Started my Benedryl.  This was administer as a drug.   30 minutes later she gave me my Kyprolis drip.  Once that was done and all the flushing of my ports done, she started the Darzalex.   This was a drip of 50 ml.  Within 15 minutes of the drip, the side effects hit me, flushed, hot, headache that felt like someone was using a hammer to pound on it, legs achy and got sick 3 times.  Details, I know but this is my blog to help me remember.  Also, will help someone else someday, somewhere who may get this ugly disease.  Melinda stopped the drip right away, contacted Dr. Sarriera and he issued another type of steroid.  Waited a bit and started it again at 50 ml.  She asked how I felt about increasing it to 100 ml.  I was scared and said would rather keep it at 50.  That would take 38 hours to finish.  That is when we discussed staying over night.  She contacted Dr. Sarriera again and he said to increase.  Which Melinda did.  I then turned it over to God and prayed it would be okay.  AND it was.  Lots of prayers and positive energy also was being sent from family and friends. Thank you.

New nurse came in at the 7 PM shift.  Katherine.  Again, a very caring nurse.  Katherine were able to increase to 150 ml.  Each increase was run for 1 hour with vitals every 15 minutes.  Increased to 200 ml.   Yes.  Ran for 1 hour and all was good.  Then they brought in another bag of the 200 ml that took about 2 1/2 more hours.  Needed to make sure I could tolerate the 200 ml for a longer period of time.  Was okay again.  Finally done around 10:30.  Waited another 15 minutes just to be sure.

Both Melinda and Katherine never once left my room.  It the needed someone to reviewing check my meds, they called some on the phone to come there.  Melinda's dinner break included in the calls.   They were constantly asking me if I was okay?  Did I need any thing?  And, as mentioned before, taking vitals.  Katherine was my Uber driver with the wheel chair.

We finally left the hospital around 11.  Home now and I need to go to bed but had two dozes of steroids.  Remember how they keep me up?

One of the charge nurse, forget her name, saw a picture of Chai that I have for my iPad screen saver.  Katherine told me that this I forgot her name,  had cats and dogs which open lots of talk.  She has 5 cats (just had to put one done), 5 dogs.  Most of the dogs were either from a neighbors that didn't want it any more or some her daughter found wandering and no one claimed as their and were not microchipped.  The one she inherited had several scars on it from someone burning him.  They had him about 17 years and had to put him down too.  This dog's name was Ringo Scar.  Don't you just love it?

Quote:

Give all cancer fighters the strength to fight and to never give up.  Amen.