Oh goody. I get my spinal tap today. What joyous fun. 🙄🤢
Last night went pretty well given that it was my first day back in the hospital. I slept pretty well but that may have been due to the Benadryl I was given just before bedtime. The IV pumps belched and churned all night right next to my bed and I wasn’t really fazed in the slightest – I’m pretty used to their noise by now. My round of Rituxin is finished (no reactions, yay) and now I’m awaiting the first of the “big boys”. I’ll be getting the Red Devil again this cycle so I’d better take a selfie of my eyebrows while I still have them! The peach fuzz that’s beginning to grow back on my head will most likely disappear as well and I’ll be left all shiny. I’m really not bothered by this. I only wish that my stupid leg hair would check out as well because I’m a bit tired of feeling like Saskquatch. Also, I’m too damn lazy to shave all that acreage. 😆
So this was just fabulous: My breakfast tray had just been delivered and I was only just tucking in to my meal when a tech from downstairs came to whisk me off for my spinal tap/chemo procedure. I was only able to eat my blueberry muffin and I was HUNGRY! Grrrr…
Spinal tap/spinal chemo treatment is done. It wasn’t nearly so bad this time around but I did feel some really weird sensations during the procedure. When the needle first went in, I felt what I can only describe as a lightning bolt that flashed down into my left butt cheek. It wasn’t painful, just… odd. I almost saw, rather than felt it. Then, right at the end, when the chemo solution was being injected, I felt a running coldness, like someone was pouring ice water over my lower left back and bum. I mentioned this to the doctor and he knew exactly what I was talking about and said that it was the drug channeling down my nerve canal. It’s amazing how the spinal nerves react!
After lying flat for 2 1/4 hours post-procedure I couldn’t stand it any longer and made a frantic dash for the loo. I was NOT going to use a bed pan again, dammit. I’m feeling okay now, no headache, but I’m very sleepy. I wonder if it’s the chemo round I received a bit earlier that’s making me feel so groggy. I’m also being pumped full of strong anti-nausea meds and something else that’s supposed to safeguard my kidneys during the chemo. (YIPE!!!) Time to start chugging the water.
I’ve finished my first 30-minute dose of Cytoxin, the first of the “big boy” chemo drugs I’ll be receiving this cycle. I’ll get the next dose around midnight, then at noon tomorrow, and so on until I’ve received all six doses (or is it four? I’m not quite sure). I’m still on track to finish the chemo by this weekend and then it’ll be hurry up and wait for my blood cell counts to do their little dance.
Dinner arrived just as I was having my “spit bath”. I can’t interrupt the flow of meds that I’m receiving now, they’re too important for my kidney health, so I couldn’t have a normal shower. The hospital has these warm wipes that I can use to freshen up in a pinch so I had just begun that process when the nurse brought in the tray. ACK. I didn’t want cold food! Luckily I was able to finish up in time to enjoy still-warm pork chops and gravy with roasted new potatoes. It sounds a lot more glamorous than it was but it was still welcome and I was grateful for it. ❤️
It’s 10:30 and time for me to fall into bed. More fun and adventure tomorrow!