Chemo Day!

 

It's literally how we felt!  Today is the day we have been waiting for for a long time!  

Long story short - Andy's a rockstar, chemo went amazing, he's doing amazing, let's go!

Long Story Long.

We got to the hospital and walked up to the Day Center and were immediately shown to our room.  Nice accommodations - with our own bathroom (although, we both agree...Froedtert...time to update the TVs!)

Our nurse came in, introduced herself, and went over what each day will look like going forward.  Effective today, Andy's in a mask any time he's outside of his house or the Day Center room.  I'm in a mask any time I'm outside of the Day Center room or our house. We are not requiring the kids to wear masks, so it's up to Andy and I to do everything we can.  OK.  Here we go.  

Andy modeling his fancy new bracelet he got!

They took Andy's weight. Something they will do each day.  They want to make sure he's not losing weight.  Nor is he gaining weight...not ice cream weight, but fluid retention weight.  Sharon (the nurse) took Andy's labs (so easy with the TriCat) and reviewed the numbers we would be watching for the next few weeks.  Ugh.  There are NEW numbers that we hadn't been watching before, which meant I needed to create a new page in my notebook.  Such troubles I have.  

Numbers we are still monitoring: WBC | ANC | Platelets | Hg 

New Numbers: Potassium | Magnesium | Cr... (not sure what this exactly is, but it's Kidney function - if this number drops too low, he will receive fluids)

Hg - Down to 14.2 (If this falls below 7, Andy will receive a blood transfusion)

ANC - Down to 2.36 

Platelets - Up to 171

WBC - Down to 3.9

Mag - 1.9

And because old habits die hard, calcium is down to 8.7 and Proteins are holding stable at 6.6.

At about 10 AM they started his fluids and at 10:20 he received his pre-meds - Dex and Zolfran (for nausea today) and an IV of something for the nausea over the next 2 - 3 days. Around 10:30 Dr. A came in - he just happened to be the doctor at the Day Center today - each day, it will be someone different.  But we love Dr. A and he said things like numbers look perfect and things are excellent and he's feeling good about this - and so...we are feeling perfect, and excellent, and good too!

We waited for a long time then until our chemo was released and ready.  Finally at 11:51 Andy started with his ice chips.  Remember, for the Melphalan (chemo) Andy is supposed to keep his mouth SUPER cold to prevent the side effect of very painful mouth sores.  15 minutes before, during the chemo and 30-60 minutes after.  In all he had about 4 cups of ice chips, 3 popsicles, a Fla-Vor-Ice, some frozen Gatorade chips, and ice cream.  Plus all the fluids...he might float away tonight!

At 12:07 his chemo started and by about ten to 1 we were done!  During this time we worked, we watched friends, we did some crossword puzzles, and we laughed. After the chemo we needed a 2 hour observation.  During his first hour, he was still eating ice and had a fluid IV.  During this time, I ran down to the cafeteria, because we decided to not pack a lunch...which was rather silly!

Andy's IV pole that he could walk around with!  We named her Pole-lene

During our last hour of observation we both worked a little more.  

Sharon came back in for discharge instructions.  She told us what to do with Andy's heightened radio-activity for the next 48 hours, along with further tips to avoid mouth sores...which could lead to infection, and what our steps of meds should be if Andy's feeling any nausea.  

And then.... we walked out of the Cancer Center - fully masked - and I'm realizing I don't have a picture of this.  But it was weird.  Like we are just released to the wild.  WEIRD. 

We got home and finished the work day!  Oliver got home from school, went to a friend's house, Eleanor went to work, and Andy and I took a walk (sitting all day is exhausting).  Now we are enjoying a wonderful meal that was delivered to us!

I keep asking Andy how he's doing.  He's doing fine.  YAY.  We aren't naïve.  We know this process is going to be rough.  We were told by another Doctor and another Nurse today that around Friday, when the number tank, so will the feeling.  So we are going to just embrace every moment of feeling descent.  

Tomorrow we head back to Froedtert for labs and monitoring, but it should be a quick visit.  Then Thursday all those Stem Cells get readmitted into Andy's squeaky-clean body!  Ready to do their thing.

We cannot begin to thank you enough for the texts, the messages, and the cards - OHHHH the cards!!  Your thoughts and prayers and well wishes have kept us all going and we are eternally grateful.   We can't wait to pay all this love and generosity forward!  And that's EXACTLY what we intend on doing.