8 -- show up at hospital, sign into lab
8:15 -- have blood drawn through port -- this was just a prick, no worse than a pinch, on my chest. Much easier than anticipated -- heck, I stumbled on the steps Tuesday and stubbed my toe, and that hurt much worse. If you don't even want to feel that prick, you can apparently ask the doc to write you a prescription for lidocaine, and you can smear the cream on the port area half an hour before the prick, and that'll numb it.
8:30 -- met with clinical trials nurse, reviewed protocol, signed consent forms.
9:00 - checked into Day Hospital, met my sweet and chipper young nurse for the day. I get a private room today, with two chairs and a bed, so I'm comfortably ensconced.
9:30 - met with oncologist to see if I had any questions (pretty much nope at this point), review plan again. Nurse gave me some pre-meds -- benadryl, a couple others, just to stave off any initial symptoms, said she probably won't need to do that again, it's just for the first day. Waiting for those to kick in.
10:00 - starting chemo.
Next stretch is supposed to be 1 hr infusion of Pertuzumab, 1 hr of observation to make sure I don't have any wonky adverse reaction to it, then 90 min. infusion of TDM1, then 90 min. of observation. Which I think means I should finish around 3, be home by 3:30? That'd be nice, since Kat's supposed to pick up Kavi and Alex from after school activities at 4 or so, and I have the car -- but we'll see. There are alternate options if needed.
The nurses are actually expecting that I'll have no noticeable side effects aside from fatigue for the first course of treatment (the first three months). Heavier drugs in the last two months. Fingers crossed!
11:30 update: They have brought a sandwich to my bedside, with mayo and mustard, and a fruit cup. My nurse is super-attentive and is constantly asking if I'm okay; she just brought me a warm blanket. My bed raises and tilts. I know I am sick, but I also feel a little bit like a princess.
12:30 update: Just dropped some caramel popcorn down my shirt, and had to be a little careful in fishing it out, so as not to disturb the port feed.
Clearly, I am *suffering* here, people.
3:50 update: Worked until 12:30, fighting the sleepy-drugs for the last half hour, finished a draft of my essay and sent it out for comment, and then surrendered to napping from then 'til 3 (woken every 30 minutes to check vitals). Now home again, and I have nothing I need to do. Feeling fine so far -- maybe the faintest echo of nausea, but that's about it. And I have prescriptions for anti-nausea meds, should I need them. So far, so good.