Chemo Rounds 10-12

Continuing with my chemo treatment stories...
The last three rounds of Taxol and Carboplatin were interesting, and also fun. (I know that’s a strange thing to read, it’s even stranger to be writing it.)

Round ten my mom took me, and my brother Chris tagged along knowing he’d be bringing me the following week himself.  He wasn’t sure what to expect and wanted to prepare himself.  

I asked my mom to bring her brightest red lipstick with, just for fun, so we could do a photo together.  She did.  I also wore bright red shoes.  My brother joined in the photo fun.  It was my last dose of Carbo, and I can tell you I was extremely thankful for that.  My labs were good, too, which is always something you want to hear.  It was fun chit-chatting with them, and Chris engaged in some playful banter with Lara.  She liked him immediately.
I also met a lovely woman named Diane while we were there.  It was her first time having chemo, and she was nervous.  We all tried to give her support through infusion, and unfortunately she did experience an allergic reaction and some side effects of the chemo itself.  She was on a different drug than I was receiving, but the side effects were very similar to those I could’ve ended up having but didn’t.  To try to help her make it through infusion, Rosie came in and performed Reiki.  (Rosie, the Reiki lady.  That woman is an angel.)  My mom and brother were extremely respectful during Diane’s Reiki, and you could see and feel that it was helping her get through.
The weekend after round ten I was sore and tired, but again, the Carbo didn’t seem to have too harsh of an effect on me.  THANK GOODNESS!

Round eleven Chris drove me.  Are you a “Stranger Things” fan? I am!  So, of course, being round eleven I did a play on words.  I printed off a photo of the character “Eleven” and even held a waffle in my mouth during my picture for social media.  Diane sat in my infusion room with me again for her second round of chemo.  She, Chris, and I all chatted through the three hours I was there.  I learned a lot of Diane’s family, and she learned a lot about mine.  She has a great-granddaughter named Evelyn, just as my daughter’s name is Evelyn.  This round of chemo went a lot more smoothly for her, which was awesome!  
Chris and I went out of Indian food after chemo, which is one of our favorites.  He also drove me to the store… my own personal chauffeur for the day.  It felt more like we were hanging out than he was taking me for cancer treatment.  It was a good day, and because it was only a taxol week the weekend felt like any other weekend.

Can you say POLAR VORTEX?  Round twelve came when the Midwest was experiencing record breaking cold weather.  My sons, Desmond and Shamus, ended up having multiple school cancellations during this time because of the dangerously cold weather.  
Shelly took me to this round of chemo, and the boys came along!  (Evelyn goes to the sitters, even on chemo days, because she is too little to be allowed in the infusion area.)  The boys being 8 and 10 were old enough to sit there with us.  Shelly took each of them to the café and the hospital gift shop, one at a time, during the two and a half hours we were there.  I let them bring their tablets should the get bored. Honestly, having them there was actually enjoyable.  Lara put them to work (or rather they put themselves to work) passing out snacks to other patients receiving infusions, they were polite and quiet the entire time they were there, and they were inquisitive.  They asked questions, and I felt like it was really important to see what I was going through, both for myself and for them.  
Diane, the patient I’d sat with the two infusions earlier, sat with us toward the end of infusion and was able to meet the boys.  Rosie came to visit, and since I always talking about them, was extremely excited to meet them!  The NP, Diane, came in as we were packing up to leave and told me how wonderful the boys are, and how well behaved they are (little does she know…).  I was so humbled by the compliment, and showered the boys with it the rest of the day.  They really were wonderful during treatment.  They said and did all the right things, and I couldn’t ask for better sons.

Round twelve was my last Taxol treatment before starting a little bit harsher chemo, but more on that to come!

For more information on the type of chemotherapy I received for the first 12 doses, please follow this link: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/CARBOPLATIN-TAXOL