I Really Should Try to Blog More...
So I am reporting live from the clinic today as I get my biweekly (once every two weeks, not twice a week) dose of avastin. I don't do chemo this week, yeah! Actually, I didn't think I would have to even go to the clinic this week. I went to work this morning with the plan of working a full day. I called the clinic to reschedule next week from Thursday to Friday and they said I had a 1:15 appointment today. I was confused with that so Rebecca checked with Dr. Chen and called me back. She said I didn't have to do chemo but I had to get the avastin. I was able to push the appointment back to 3:00 and here I am - jacked in - in a private room. As soon as I got in, Dr. Chen met me in the lobby and did my exam there. He had to get over to the hospital so needed to speed things up. (Enter feeling of guilt!) So we went over the latest aches and pains and what not and that was about it. He gave my lungs a listening to and things sounded great there. The lymph nodes in my neck were small but they were tender to the touch. Probably seasonal allergies. We wrapped it with no news yet on the echocardiogram results and no approval on the PET scan from the insurance. My scan appointment was canceled earlier today by Seattle Radiology. Maybe next week.
George called me in for vitals and things were typical. BP was 131/74, pulse 88 bpm, blood O2 was 97% and I weighed in at 200 lbs. Jessica got me hooked in, took the blood samples and started my sodium solution, no sugar, drip. It turned out one of Dr. Chen's patients from Bellingham is in pretty bad shape and had to check in at Swedish Hospital. After seeing me, he rushed out. Even though I don't know who it was, it created a hush around the clinic. Often times, there is a bit of buzz in the air as patients keep up their optimism and cheeriness and the nurses rush around dealing with meds and IVs. However, when there are those times where a patient is struggling with the chemo or has to be transferred to the hospital, which thankfully is not often, it tends to dampen the collective spirit. Even knowing that regardless of modern medicine a majority of cancer patients will die from their disease, those of us at the clinic believe we will all beat it. When one of us struggles, we all feel terrible for them as our shared confidence is slightly shaken. It is easy to see ourselves in their shoes knowing that our turn could come at any time. So today, things were quite and solemn. I briefly went into group room to get a drink of water and no one was talking, except for chatty Judy. She was on her cell phone and nodded my way. A couple of people were obviously knocked out by the benadryl, how fortunate for me to skip that today. I smiled at Judy and wheeled my IV pump back to my room. I had one of the rooms with a bed in it so it has a window to the outside world. The sky was gray and the rain was lightly beating against the glass, how befitting of the mood inside. Jessica returned with the avastin. We talked about my job and the exciting world of environmental consulting as she plugged the avastin into the IV. She said she thought about doing environmental studies before deciding on nursing. I told her she should have thought about industrial safety since she left the AC cord for the IV pump lying across the floor in front of the door where someone can trip on it. Ahhh, my job has gotten me looking at all things safety! Speaking of, Beth told me how one of her coworkers cut himself at work this week. I queried her as if I was conducting an investigation. Why wasn't he wearing leather gloves and how does the company handle safety issues like this? Who investigates it and what are the consequences? Does your company even care? So it has gotten to a point where safety runs through my mind constantly like tetris does to the addicted!
So as I said at the start, I should blog more. I always have these thoughts and ideas to write but just don't find the time do so. Even now, I am picking up where I left off at the clinic. Yes, its now Friday evening of St. Patrick's day and I am looking to finish this post off and upload it. As I was typing away, Jessica came back in and said I was done. I wasn't even paying attention and looked up to see an empty avastin bag. I saved the post as a draft and shut down to get unjacked. I got home to do some laundry and help Beth with dinner and didn't have time to get back to finish.
Without having to do chemo this week, I was able to get more hours in at the office including a rare Friday workday. As it is, I will be working Saturday as well. Beth and the ladies took a retreat to the Olympic peninsula for the weekend so I am left home alone. So without much to do and feeling well for a change, I will work! We have a busy week next week so no time to waste. Plus, you never know when I might feel like this and unable to work!
Anyway, I will start getting back to blogging more. If I don't, I am sure I will eventually lose your attention! Happy Saint Patty's day!
So I am reporting live from the clinic today as I get my biweekly (once every two weeks, not twice a week) dose of avastin. I don't do chemo this week, yeah! Actually, I didn't think I would have to even go to the clinic this week. I went to work this morning with the plan of working a full day. I called the clinic to reschedule next week from Thursday to Friday and they said I had a 1:15 appointment today. I was confused with that so Rebecca checked with Dr. Chen and called me back. She said I didn't have to do chemo but I had to get the avastin. I was able to push the appointment back to 3:00 and here I am - jacked in - in a private room. As soon as I got in, Dr. Chen met me in the lobby and did my exam there. He had to get over to the hospital so needed to speed things up. (Enter feeling of guilt!) So we went over the latest aches and pains and what not and that was about it. He gave my lungs a listening to and things sounded great there. The lymph nodes in my neck were small but they were tender to the touch. Probably seasonal allergies. We wrapped it with no news yet on the echocardiogram results and no approval on the PET scan from the insurance. My scan appointment was canceled earlier today by Seattle Radiology. Maybe next week.
George called me in for vitals and things were typical. BP was 131/74, pulse 88 bpm, blood O2 was 97% and I weighed in at 200 lbs. Jessica got me hooked in, took the blood samples and started my sodium solution, no sugar, drip. It turned out one of Dr. Chen's patients from Bellingham is in pretty bad shape and had to check in at Swedish Hospital. After seeing me, he rushed out. Even though I don't know who it was, it created a hush around the clinic. Often times, there is a bit of buzz in the air as patients keep up their optimism and cheeriness and the nurses rush around dealing with meds and IVs. However, when there are those times where a patient is struggling with the chemo or has to be transferred to the hospital, which thankfully is not often, it tends to dampen the collective spirit. Even knowing that regardless of modern medicine a majority of cancer patients will die from their disease, those of us at the clinic believe we will all beat it. When one of us struggles, we all feel terrible for them as our shared confidence is slightly shaken. It is easy to see ourselves in their shoes knowing that our turn could come at any time. So today, things were quite and solemn. I briefly went into group room to get a drink of water and no one was talking, except for chatty Judy. She was on her cell phone and nodded my way. A couple of people were obviously knocked out by the benadryl, how fortunate for me to skip that today. I smiled at Judy and wheeled my IV pump back to my room. I had one of the rooms with a bed in it so it has a window to the outside world. The sky was gray and the rain was lightly beating against the glass, how befitting of the mood inside. Jessica returned with the avastin. We talked about my job and the exciting world of environmental consulting as she plugged the avastin into the IV. She said she thought about doing environmental studies before deciding on nursing. I told her she should have thought about industrial safety since she left the AC cord for the IV pump lying across the floor in front of the door where someone can trip on it. Ahhh, my job has gotten me looking at all things safety! Speaking of, Beth told me how one of her coworkers cut himself at work this week. I queried her as if I was conducting an investigation. Why wasn't he wearing leather gloves and how does the company handle safety issues like this? Who investigates it and what are the consequences? Does your company even care? So it has gotten to a point where safety runs through my mind constantly like tetris does to the addicted!
So as I said at the start, I should blog more. I always have these thoughts and ideas to write but just don't find the time do so. Even now, I am picking up where I left off at the clinic. Yes, its now Friday evening of St. Patrick's day and I am looking to finish this post off and upload it. As I was typing away, Jessica came back in and said I was done. I wasn't even paying attention and looked up to see an empty avastin bag. I saved the post as a draft and shut down to get unjacked. I got home to do some laundry and help Beth with dinner and didn't have time to get back to finish.
Without having to do chemo this week, I was able to get more hours in at the office including a rare Friday workday. As it is, I will be working Saturday as well. Beth and the ladies took a retreat to the Olympic peninsula for the weekend so I am left home alone. So without much to do and feeling well for a change, I will work! We have a busy week next week so no time to waste. Plus, you never know when I might feel like this and unable to work!
Anyway, I will start getting back to blogging more. If I don't, I am sure I will eventually lose your attention! Happy Saint Patty's day!
posted by Beth @ 3/16/2006 04:14:00 PM
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