We had an appointment with the oncologist yesterday, and then Eileen went for her weekly Herceptin drip. As you may already assume, we had to wait a long time for both appointments to commence. (I probably wouldn't be as cranky about it if I could get cell service in the waiting room....I'm a slave to technology. Perhaps I'll bring a paperback next time!)
The onc appointment went well. Her blood and liver numbers are looking very good, so that was a huge relief. We also learned that now she doesn't need to get blood drawn every week as she has been. She only needs to go prior to the chemo mondays. That amounts to 2 less needle sticks- always a good thing!
Once she finally was able to get into the infusion center, the drip went without incident save for one thing; The chemo nurse gave her a small dose of Benedryl. She didn't get that last time (and she mentioned it to him) but it seemed routine. Mind you, I had just gone back to work (after being in the office for more than 1.5hrs at that point...) so I wasn't there to play the heavy. (i.e. "she didn't get that last time, would you please call the doctor to confirm?").
Anyway, not a big deal- we're sure it was fine and all, but holy moly- Eileen was ZONKED last night. I got back home from work around 630, we chatted, ate, and she was out. I took Red for a long walk, she didn't stir. I played music. She only grumbled and rolled over. By 10:30, she finally motored from the couch to the bedroom and slept straight through until 5:30am.
She seemed rather refreshed this morning and in good spirits. Maybe we'll ask about the Benedryl next time- (and by that I mean, "hey man....can you hook us up?")
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Benadryl is crazy stuff. If I'm having trouble sleeping, sometimes I tend to have "allergy issues" just around bedtime, if you know what I mean. A lot of allergy meds make me sleepy, though. I tried zyrtec for a while for my allergies, and until I realized it was a side-effect from the medication, I wondered if I'd suddenly developed narcolepsy! Glad e was able to get a good night's sleep!
ReplyDeleteBenedryl is fairly standard as a component of chemo, at least it was for me. One thing about oncology wait times: it was true for me too (for a completely different doctor) - but here is why: 1) when you are on chemo, your immune system is weakened making you susceptible to sudden infections - it's nice that they ALWAYS work you in if/when this happens 2) when your doctor is telling you you have cancer, it's nice that they are not watching the clock, and take the time to answer all your questions. I think these two things slow it down a lot; you can always call ahead and ask how far behind schedule they are running too! Also, at my oncologists, we had to get blood drawn AND get the results back before he'd see us. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteKeith,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update -- it's great to hear the news of you two!! So glad the liver and blood are looking good.
Catching up on sleep is good, but maybe they could ease up on the benedryl next time. As I read your epistle, I kept wondering, how did Eileen get home under the influence?? She must have been one focused woman....
Ellen