Carboplatin #2

The first week of the first cycle has passed with very little problem.  A bit of heartburn but nothing severe and NO NAUSIA.  Moreover, I was a fairly good boy with regard to the everolimus.  Almost every day between 5:00 and 5:30.  I say 'almost'  because Saturday was an exception.  I started taking this pill with food, and the instructions say that if you start with food, stay with it.  OK.  So Saturday I was on a plane to Memphis, and the agenda called for the Area Council dinner to be served at 7:00 pm Memphis time (6:00 pm Mountain time).  Well, the plane was delayed and we did not get to dinner until about 7:30 pm MST and those that were there had already eaten.  So, while the business was being conducted and the other four travelers from Salt Lake City were eating and conducting business I surreptitiously fished in my luggage, brought out the pill still in its foil pack, cut it open with the stake knife because I could not bring my pocket knife on the plane, and washed it down.  OK, I was late, but provision was made for such occurrences in the instructions.  It says to go ahead and take a late pill if it's within 3 hours of the prescribed time.  

Even though we were very late getting there, the hotel kept things hot for us, and the meal was very, very good.  It was the best prime rib I have had in many years.  But the books say I should stay away from beef and such . . . so I pushed my chair as far away from the table as I could.  Supposing that is not exactly what the instructions meant, I decided not to eat very much.  It went against all the things my depression surviving Mother ever taught me, but I left more than half that wonderful meat on the plate and went to bed hungry.  I want to lick this cancer, so I will pay at least lip service to what the books on nutrition and cancer have to say.  (Maybe there is a pun in there someplace.)

The second dose of Carbo took longer than last time.  The bad roads and worse weather may have delayed the pharmacy folks, who must do a check on certain elements of my blood before administering the Carbo. As a consequence, I had a nice nap on the bed provided while we waited for the results of the blood tests.  Huntsman Cancer Hospital has a few beds for their chemo patients, and quite a few more reclining chairs.  I have always been put in the chairs before, but this time I got the bed.  In a private room.  With pre-heated blankets.  That made the waiting a little easier to take.

The quality of care varies from time to time or rather from person to person - or maybe both.  Sometimes, in getting poked for the IV I can hardly feel the needle.  Other times it stings when they are playing around trying to find the vein, and the IV hurts the entire time it is in my arm.  But I am sure that is only a very mild irritation compared to what some folks have to go through.  Again, I really do feel blessed as I go through this little exercise in patience (another pun?  Honest,  I am not trying to pun-ish you), and I truly appreciate all the support we are getting - moral and otherwise.

MJG