FIVE more treatments and we are PAU. Can't wait for next weekend and let the healing begin as Friday will now be the end of my treatment barring any additional hurdles. Thank God.
Speaking of hurdles, I have been remiss in keeping this updated and notice I haven't lived up to my promise to fill in the blanks from the impromptu Queens visit so lets highlight.
I left you last with the first day fiasco and platelet infusion. What a night that became. I took the unit just fine. It was similar to the Cisplatin infusion as a nurse must stay with you throughout to make sure there are no complications and immediate rejection. I had none and the rest of the evening went fine. Somewhere in the early morning however, there apparently was an incident and I caused quite the stir on the floor. I say apparently as personally, I have zero recollection but it was quite the scene with the whole team involved. When I wake up in the morning, I notice my throat hurts exponentially more than when I went to sleep and there are a bunch of medical personel overly interested in ME!? OK-What happened you asked (Me too) They have these new beds at Queens that register your temperature, heart rate and a few other vitals i believe just by laying on them. Mine registered a rapid increase in heart rate up into the triple digits so the nurse came in the check on me. I have also been told I have a form of sleep apnea to begin with so this must have been a time I was taking one of those alleged breaks from normal breathing patterns and she sounded the alarm. In her mind, I am choking on my own phlegm and I may very well have been so they were trying to wake me up to have me cough and clear my throat and I guess I didn't want too. She tells me I did finally wake up and they were forcing me to cough, hack whatever to clear and it wouldn't so in come some suction tools and the like-hence my tortured throat as it was raw to begin with. This went on for 15 minutes give or take until they were satisfied I was no longer going to choke but the odd thing.......I have no recollection whatsoever. They figure it was a cross/overreaction to a sleep apnea, a reaction to the infusion and morphine but apparently scared the heck out of them. With the exception of the throat pain, probably a good thing I have no memory.
Rest of the day uneventful, watched the horse race and slept a lot as very blah about everything and that is how the rest of the weekend went. Monday morning and I am awakened by my Radiologist asking if I am ready to continue with my treatments today WTF! NO! He takes the answer and says he'll call me tomorrow. HELLO-last thing in the world I want is to go get zapped. My burns on my shoulder are the only thing showing improvement with this silver ointment they are using but everything else is no better (Although all my counts are improving) The concern however is I am still not eating or drinking near enough as the throat is still so damaged.
More of the same Tuesday with the counts continuing to improve and the Doc and I discuss my interrupted zapping sessions. the radiologist got with him the day before and talked it over with him and he to asks how I feel about it as there is concern I have been on too long a break. My counts are such he feels it is okay. We then talk on getting me some infused options for subsidence as I am NOT going home today. Great idea as I know I'm loosing weight and the infused hydration is great but need food. Unfortunately, I never hear from him again that day. I do get a call from the head zapper again pleading with me to get back on schedule. He got me with the fact he was not going to have me "make up" the lost days and i can just continue with my existing schedule. I confirm with him that means one more mega treatments and then the 7 directed tapering down and agree to get it done. That in its own right presents my biggest problem of Hospital "procedure" as well as the fact on this side, the nurse set up is much different than my prior experiences as you never see the same one twice. That means retraining every day and that gets humbug! Although I am no where near the mobile unit I was during chemo and have barely left my room, I have to draw the line on being transported to the dungeon in a gurney. NO WAY I am perfectly capable of walking thank you. They will have nothing to do with it, it is procedure. I'm only riding the elevator down 7 floors and walking around the corner but we negotiate to a wheel chair. At least I can say my FINAL heavy dosage of radiation is now in the books!
Wednesday I awaken to the Doc on his rounds and I bring up the food factor again. I have been told of this big white bag of goodies that is wonderful. He is aware of it but hardly uses as his goal is to get me to a point where i am self sufficient. Hey, I'm right with you and understand however, I'm not so lets get this feed bag hooked up so long as your not letting me leave. He laughs and says he'll talk to the pharmacy. He comes back a few minutes later and says the order is in. Zapping time approaching and sure enough, here comes transport with the damn gurney again! NOT! I already have today's nurse willing to walk me down as he never seen the dungeon and he is curios so let him deal with the "policy" but all works out. When I get back, I ask him about my "dinner" and he tells me its ordered and it is such a specialty item, they only make once a day and hook up at 6 pm. Like clockwork in comes this 2 or 3 gallon of milk is the best way I can explain it-Dinner is served-wish we had done this for the last few days as I'm down into the low 190's and that is light for me.
Finally comes Thursday and Friday is King Kam day so my counts are such and I am getting these nutrients from the feed bag that we determine it is release day! Finish the bag and go home-Yee Haw. I knock off one more zapping session and with the Holiday leaves next week for the final countdown of 5 and at 6 o'clock, I am disconnected after a week and discharged.
Quite an eventful yet a complete waste of a week as well but I'm out!
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