Since I am almost done with my chemotherapy sessions, I decided to post some sort of a photo journal for posterity...
7:00 a.m.
Getting ready for the hospital for an overnight stay. It's my second to the last cycle so far and I am nearing the finish line...yahoo!
7:15 a.m.
Bong goes to the Admitting Section and I wait in the Waiting Area. I am not allowed in the Admitting Section to avoid any exposure to infection.
Bong goes to the Admitting Section and I wait in the Waiting Area. I am not allowed in the Admitting Section to avoid any exposure to infection.
7:25 a.m.
I am off to my room. One of the procedures I hate is having to be wheeled in to my room when I can very well walk.
I try to bribe the orderly to let me give him a ride on the wheel chair this time. I have done this over a dozen times since my surgery in January but noone has taken the bite.
I try to bribe the orderly to let me give him a ride on the wheel chair this time. I have done this over a dozen times since my surgery in January but noone has taken the bite.
7:30 a.m.
All chemo patients here don't go through the normal SOP of passing through ER before admission and so I am in my room now waiting for all the necessary pre-admission procedures. Meanwhile I set up all my "survival equipment" while waiting for the nurse. I brought some homework to kill idle time.
8:20 a.m.
I always request for Ritchie, the nurse from the second floor who is better than the residents in inserting the thick needle into my vein. (I am selfishly glad he didn't make it to the Big Brother auditions!) Today, however seems to be a challenge even for him because practically all the veins on the back of my left hand are weak and blackish from all previous chemo sessions.
Because I had a mastectomy and lymph nodes removed from my right axilla, they are not supposed to do any procedure on my right arm, even for blood pressure monitoring, at least in the next ten years. So its not an option for the I.V.
After the third attempt to insert the needle, the back of my left arm is swollen so they have no choice but to insert just below my open palm. They warn me that it will be painful because the skin there is thin. Let's do it, I say.
After the third attempt to insert the needle, the back of my left arm is swollen so they have no choice but to insert just below my open palm. They warn me that it will be painful because the skin there is thin. Let's do it, I say.
9:30 a.m.
Finally, the needle is in. Ouch that hurt!
Finally, the needle is in. Ouch that hurt!
10:00 a.m.
Talked to my friend Deah. Her husband, Juray and daughter, Iya will be coming over the weekend. She asked me what I want from over there and I started fantasizing about the Donuts and Cinammon Rolls that she sends me. Maybe not this time, Dey. Then she said she was just thinking about Krispy Kremes. Maybe I should venture out of my diet for a day when Juray comes...hmmm...
Talked to my friend Deah. Her husband, Juray and daughter, Iya will be coming over the weekend. She asked me what I want from over there and I started fantasizing about the Donuts and Cinammon Rolls that she sends me. Maybe not this time, Dey. Then she said she was just thinking about Krispy Kremes. Maybe I should venture out of my diet for a day when Juray comes...hmmm...
12:00 p.m.
Doc Jesena arrives and gets down to work. She greets me by saying I am looking better and better everytime she sees me. She first gives me a sedative, but as always it doesn't put me to sleep. Then she proceeds with administering my three medicines for chemo. The last one she gives me is Taxotere, the most toxic of all my meds. She has to monitor it closely, watching the drip constantly because the medicine is quite dense and oily and many of her patients go into cardiac distress while it is being administered.
She seems tensed doing this so I try to draw her out by engaging her in small talk. She tells me about her own cancer scare, about treating depressed and difficult patients, and the health challenges of her two daughters. I tell her about how God has played the greatest role in my postive outlook and how I hope she can let me share this to some of her other patients. I also asked her to look around for children suffering from cancer because I want to give them scholarships in our school.
Finally I am done and the the IV comes off.
Doc Jesena arrives and gets down to work. She greets me by saying I am looking better and better everytime she sees me. She first gives me a sedative, but as always it doesn't put me to sleep. Then she proceeds with administering my three medicines for chemo. The last one she gives me is Taxotere, the most toxic of all my meds. She has to monitor it closely, watching the drip constantly because the medicine is quite dense and oily and many of her patients go into cardiac distress while it is being administered.
She seems tensed doing this so I try to draw her out by engaging her in small talk. She tells me about her own cancer scare, about treating depressed and difficult patients, and the health challenges of her two daughters. I tell her about how God has played the greatest role in my postive outlook and how I hope she can let me share this to some of her other patients. I also asked her to look around for children suffering from cancer because I want to give them scholarships in our school.
Finally I am done and the the IV comes off.
5:00 p.m.
Bong goes to the house to check on the kids for a while. In the meantime, I take a few moments to thank God for all his blessings, for all the great friends who I know are praying for me and to visualize the medicines eradicating all remaining cancer cells in my body, if any. Bong arrives after an hour and a half or so.
Bong goes to the house to check on the kids for a while. In the meantime, I take a few moments to thank God for all his blessings, for all the great friends who I know are praying for me and to visualize the medicines eradicating all remaining cancer cells in my body, if any. Bong arrives after an hour and a half or so.
7:30 p.m.
After a dinner of raw veggies and water, I am off to dream land, as the meds are starting to take effect. Bong goes down to the ICU to visit someone who just had a brain tumor removed. Good night.
The nurses monitor my pulse and blood pressure all night to rule out any cardiac reactions.
After a dinner of raw veggies and water, I am off to dream land, as the meds are starting to take effect. Bong goes down to the ICU to visit someone who just had a brain tumor removed. Good night.
The nurses monitor my pulse and blood pressure all night to rule out any cardiac reactions.
Next day...
9:00 a.m.
I am finally discharged from the hospital. I pass by the grocery to grab same parsley and bananas for my green smoothies, and some goodies for the kids.
I am finally discharged from the hospital. I pass by the grocery to grab same parsley and bananas for my green smoothies, and some goodies for the kids.
10:30 a.m.
Since my doctor said that I should relax, what better way to do it than shop for a while. I take a look at some hats ( my new favorite things) and some books (my all time favorite things.)
Since my doctor said that I should relax, what better way to do it than shop for a while. I take a look at some hats ( my new favorite things) and some books (my all time favorite things.)
After lunch I pass by the school to check on the enrollment and grab a few more "homework", and to chit-chat with the teachers and parents there.
3:00 p.m.
I am finally homeward bound.
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