Betsy's first day of treatment went very smoothly. At 7:30 AM she had the stitches taken out from last week's insertion of a subcutaneous pump (similar to an insulin pump that regulates intravenous delivery of meds). Around 8:00 AM she went to oncology to start chemotherapy. Her nurse, Dorothy, ran blood work and then delivered anti-nausea medication, a steroid (also anti-nausea), and mitomyocin through the pump. Afterwards Betsy was outfitted with a tube leading to a plastic bottle containing chemotherapy drug "5FU" that will be on continuous slow drip throughout the week. Come Saturday, the drip will be removed. This afternoon at 3pm she had her first radiation treatment. She described it as a strong and short blast of radiation from the top then bottom of her pelvis.
Betsy is glad the first day is over and has her meds in case she feels nausea or anxiety. She is feeling good and positive. Her treatment schedule from here on is Monday - Friday radiation at 8:00 AM for weeks 1-5 then Chemo again during week 6 in addition to radiation.
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4 comments:
Hey, Bets- here's hoping the the rest of the treatments go well. I know you're in good hands with Irene there, but also know that there are lots of us thinking about you.
Paige
Hi Betsy,
All of us at iEARN have been thinking of you and are wishing the best. I am so glad you have friends close with you.
Warmly,
Diane
For those of us who are not familiar with the process of chemotherapy and radiation, your blog, Betsy, is most informative. Sharing the process you are undergoing makes it much more real and a tiny bit less mysterious. Thank you for being willing to share your experience.
We think of you each day and send our love.
Cathy and Charly
Dear Betsy,
Your strength and courage to face challenges will serve you well but also know that it is ok to ask for support. We are your personal support team and I want you to know that you can ask for help day or night. Let me know what I can do. Take care. I keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Mary Herrmann
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