Catching up...

Alright it seems that I have some stories to finish. And I'm sure I'll get to them, possibly in this entry, just depends on how much I can do with this HELLACIOUS headache. I finally got around to reading all the package inserts for my meds yesterday and it turns out "headache" is one of the major side effects of ALL of them. So I guess they are working together to make me feel like my head is going to shoot off my shoulders. I'm sure my insomnia (which leads to sleeping late and afternoon napping) and lack of morning coffee and afternoon diet Dr. Pepper have not helped. So in spite of going to sleep after 4 am, I got up about 8 and made coffee. Umm, so far it has not helped. Oh, well, it's the last day of two of the headache causers so maybe, just maybe, tomorrow it will be better. And even if it's not, it's still better than nausea/retching/dry heaving/vomiting...that is something I can do without! I have had migraines since I was 21 and I always felt worse when I couldn't catch it early enough with medication to prevent the GI upset.

OK so let's see what's going on. Thank goodness my parents decided to stay an extra day to watch Ian's football game because I needed a lot of help the first couple of days after my chemo. I just felt so...drained. So now I know to line up my child care to stay on a couple of days after, which means family, right? Good thing I've got retired parents and in-laws! I'm really hoping DH will make it home in time for the next one, although I'm not sure he should go with me or stay home with the kids. Gosh, they miss him so much when he's gone! Pinup Barber's planning to go with me to my next chemo...hopefully I'll feel good enough to eat out and maybe shop a little on our downtime.

The drug handouts said my hair loss should start in three to six weeks, so I still have a little time to get a wig. Maybe Monday when BabyBoy's at school I'll go wig shopping. Hmm, I wonder what kind I should get? I have gotten so many compliments on my short hair that I'm thinking I'll get something similar to my current hairstyle but I'm sure I need to get a Dolly wig and a pink Britney wig too! I guess it just depends on how much they cost. Maybe Dolly and Britney will come from the Halloween store...oooohhh, or maybe Elvis...or a mullet? The possibilities are endless!

I guess I should at least finish the chemo story and leave Nurse Ratched for another day. I described the lovely Barnes Barracks...but I forgot to say that Mom and I forgot to stop and get something to eat before we got there. There was NOTHING nearby to eat. And Barnes is not in the nicest area of town once you get off the grounds, so we had water for dinner. Good thing we noshed at the pizza buffet, although it was long gone by breakfast the next day.

I didn't go back and read my last entry so I may repeat some stuff so please bear with me. My chemo finally got started about 2 pm, nearly four hours after I was supposed to. I was hoping to be on the road by that time. The good thing about bringing your mom with you is, well, she's your mom. She doesn't like to see you suffer or wait or hurt so she goes into Mama Grizzly mode. And apparently that instinct doesn't disappear when your child is grown and has her own kids. I was proud of her though...she was on the verge of getting mad but she held her tongue. I tried to be as patient and accommodating as possible but come on...they couldn't even find me in THEIR waiting room, sitting where THEY told me to sit, TWICE!! Ridiculous! And I almost ran off and forgot my prescriptions at the pharmacy there and the doctor's office forgot to call in the most important one! Not to mention they didn't order the lab tests I'm supposed to have pre-chemo and they had to stick me three times instead of just twice. Good thing I have good veins and the chemo nurse realized she needed to draw blood before she placed my IV, or she may have had to stick me again.

Speaking of good veins...my hand vein that they used for chemo...not my best! Next time I'm going to tell her to use my wrist vein, it's much better. My IV was right where my wrist bends and in the right because that's the side where they only took one lymph node, so it wouldn't always run and now I have a beautiful bruise. I also have a nice one going in my AC space since they stuck me there twice. Oh, well, it's my easiest vein to hit, so even a first timer ought to be able to get it.

The chemo didn't really make me feel too bad while it was going, although I did notice a couple of the common side effects during and immediately after. But all in all I felt OK and I was able to drive us home. I know Mom was nervous about the prospect of having to drive in St. Louis, but even though we left around rush hour, we really didn't have trouble getting out of town and the trip home was relatively uneventful...except for when I realized I didn't get all my meds! The gal at the pharmacy was not the friendliest and was pretty insistent that I only had three prescriptions to pick up. I was in kind of a daze so I took her word for it, but around 6 PM I figured it out. Luckily, BFF is the assistant manager at my local pharmacy so she was able to help me get it all straightened out and transferred to her pharmacy so I could get it. That is the good thing about BFF's pharmacy, they really believe in good customer service. That's why I always go there unless it's just impossible. I even paid a little higher co-pays when I was still working and had insurance because I felt the little extra I had to pay was well worth it.

We got home around 9 PM Monday night and I was feeling pretty good...good enough to put NumberOneSon in his place since he seemed to think playing video games and staying up late and not mowing the yard while I was gone was what he was supposed to do. He's a good kid so I really think it's just 13 year old irresponsibility but I needed to get my bluff in on him while I still felt like it. Steroids! Super Mom! So by the time I chewed on his ass, then called DH and texted BFF & Kondee's Mom, I was certainly wound up. So wound up that sleep didn't come till, oh, I dunno, 4 AM? Ugh! Ridiculous! Steroids!

Tuesday and Wednesday are something of a blur, I know I took the rental car back, picked up medications, dropped off Eli at school one day, visited with my parents and DH's parents before NOS's game, watched TV, read, Facebooked and Twittered, slept, ate a little, drank some water and hot tea, and was an insomniac at night. Since today was the last day of steroids I'm hoping to get some decent sleep at night if not tonight, maybe Friday and Saturday night. John's Girl came over for Girlfriends' Coffee this morning...I am so glad I have friends who are willing to come see me, do things for me, bring me food, and just generally try to cheer me up. RC brought some awesome dinner last night...it reminds me of something my mom made when I was a kid and more of those fabulous cookies!

So how am I feeling? Well, tired since I'm not sleeping very well. I'm a little nauseated so I took half an Ativan...I'm afraid to take more since I don't know how loopy it will make me and I have to pick BabyBoy up from school. CPrez's son is in my son's class so she's helping me out with transporting him to and from school. I tell you, she's just an amazing girl...she barely knows me, but she's willing to help me out. My chest hurts off and on, I don't know if it's from the boob fill or what but I called Dr. B's nurse yesterday and she was going to call in a refill on my muscle relaxer. With the stupid liver enzymes being elevated I'm pretty much off anything with Tylenol in it, so I gotta be really miserable to bust out the Vicoden. Of course, with my fragile tummy, Aleve and Motrin are not the best choices but they're all I've got. I'm just trying to make sure I eat a little something when I take them.

Sometimes I think those side effect things are not the best thing to read. I really think I have a little hypochondriac in me and when I read about a side effect, I start feeling it. So I didn't read them for a couple of days, but when I got the headache I just couldn't shake I busted them out. Of course, being a nurse, I know the side effects of the meds I've given regularly before, mostly. Oh, well, if a headache is the worse I have, I'll be fine. I've been putting up with stupid headaches for as long as I can remember.

Well, CPrez just picked up BabyBoy and took him to school so I'm going to try to grab a little rest before I have to pick him up. I don't think I'm going to make my parenting class tonight...I hope I feel well enough for it next week because I really enjoyed it last week.

I don't know if I've said it, but I really do appreciate all the prayers, warm wishes, food, flowers, cards, friendship, companionship, donations, home repairs and gift cards. I am just so overwhelmed by the generosity of my family and friends. I know I will get through this because of all of the support you've given and I would not make it without all of you.