Last day of rest

So...

Yesterday I got my bandage changed on my picc line.

(PICC: peripherally inserted central catheter or “PICC” is a thin, soft, flexible tube — an intravenous (IV) line. Treatments, such as IV medications, can be given though a PICC. Blood for laboratory tests can also be withdrawn from a PICC.)

It's actually a really cool tube in my arm, through a vein, and ends up near a main artery near my heart. It allows them to administer meds and to draw blood there instead of poking me every 12 hours. What impressed me was the way it is cured to my arm. There is redundancy, so I feel a lot better about not yanking it out in the middle of the night.  It will be with me 6 months.

The chemo schedule is still on track.  The regimen they have chosen is doing a good job and both the oncologist team and the nephrology team are very happy.

Tomorrow we hit it again. And I trust them to pre-treat my nausea and other symptoms before they happen. The doc just came in and he was very concerned I yacked yesterday. He wants me to let someone know ASAP if I am not feeling well. Ok... Will do.

We start steroids tomorrow (which make me hyper) and a short injection of chemo. (Not the 3 hr iv drip each 8 hours).

Other good news for tomorrow is a field trip!  I will get off the sterile, small, fourth floor of this hospital. The bad news is I go to radiology for a spinal tap. Ewww...  

Dr Morris explained that this paticular type of leukemia has a way of hiding in the brain and / or spinal cord. So... Pinpointing chemo there is necessary. 

This is Spinal Tap!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xgx4k83zzc&sns=em

Look! We are halfway through this page of chemo treatment.  When I get to the bottom of the page, I get to go home. I do remember them saying day 18 I go home, but back day 22.  Then of course back and forth for about 6 months with either outpatient treatment or a one or two night stay.

And that is assuming that we stay on schedule with positive results.

Time is actually passing very quickly here.  There is always some staff member in my room and very little time alone.

I am not bored, so I can't complain!

Don't show Dexter and Annie I have a Sheltie friend here.  They will be jealous! 

When the dog showed up, the nurses did a couple of double takes.  They thought she was real and almost flipped out!  I don't see a problem, she is wearing a mask!

(Big Thanks to Fletch and Dezi ! )

This afternoon's walk I carried her and really freaked them out. No less than 10 people thought she was the real thing. I crack myself up!

Only one nurse noticed my tiara! She called me Queen for the Day.

Maybe tomorrow I will be the Princess...