First night with the chemo pump

Hi all,
It hasn't been easy getting re-acquainted with this chemo-therapy (poison) again. Anne didn't have much fun last evening or over night, up several times and ill. This morning she fought it as hard as she could, but was just miserable. Mid morning we called MCCM (Maine Center for Cancer Medicine) and they suggested we get in there for 1pm for hydration and anti-nausea meds. Anne is trying to 'put the fluids' to herself, but it's hard. This is like deja vu, it's coming back to me now, the sickness and need for hydration thru the IV port.

We headed into Scarboro, parked at MCCM and started walking in. Anne walked very very slowly clutching my sleeve and struggling. Then she grabbed me and we stopped before being rescued by a kind person who ran for a wheelchair.

They immediately got her situated in the chemo room and the anti-nausea meds, then the sodium choloride for hydration, were flowing. She quickly appeared ok, so I ran to the car to pick up this laptop. When I got back she was doubled over and ill.

They switched her over to some Ativan (lorazepam), a relaxer mixed with another anti-nausea med, and when that was done it was back to the hydration (sodium chloride). It will flow for 2 hours. They have been right there with her since she sat down in the chemo room, and very responsive to her needs.

This is so hard for her but she fights it with all she has. If she crys I know something is drastically wrong. She did and it scared me.

Now her eyes are closed, in fact she's asleep, and her color is back in her face.

They said that in 2 weeks when she comes back for her second treatment, they'll give her a booster of some 'super duper' anti-nausea stuff, along with the chemo. They say it will cover her for the 2 days of having the pump running at home. Let's hope so. Can you imagine having to use all these drugs and trying to get better.

From 2 years ago I remember rushing her to town, sick and needing hydration, over and over. Poor kid hasn't had much of anything to eat since Monday, trying yogurt and chicken/rice soup starting Wednesday, neither working out that well.

We hope for a better night tonight, and look forward to having the pump disconnected tomorrow.

The battle is under way.

PS. For curious minds, the chemo drugs being used are as follows: A mix of Oxaliplatin (aka Eloxatin) and Leucovorin (aka Citrovorum Factor) for 2 hours (at MCCM) once every 2 weeks, followed by 48 straight hours of Fluorouracil (aka 5-FU) using a portable chemo pump.