Last Chemo of Round One

Rob finished the chemo treatments for the first round yesterday.  Only three more rounds to go now.  We expect to be done in mid-June, barring any unforeseen complications.

Two bandaged misses, and finally a hit! :)

The day started out a little rough around the edges...again.  First, it took two nurses and three tries to get the IV in a good vein.  They are staying away from his right arm until it heals completely from the drug/vein leak, and it was still pretty sore from the oncologist and her PA poking all around it on Tuesday.  Also, Rob developed a thick rash from his waist down, and also on his upper right chest wall.  The nurses at the infusion center put a call in to his doctor to get an okay to give him some Benadryl prior to starting his chemo... and we waited for an hour until the nurse called again and insisted on holding until she got a response.  We got the okay, and finally the treatment was underway, only to have to slow the drip down because it started causing pain and burning like it did two weeks ago.  Mission accomplished.  The nurses are very good, very caring, and right on top of things.  (Thank you, Lord!)  So we were there for longer than we expected to be.  I think our new normal is learning to face the unexpected, expect the unexpected, without the blink of an eye.  *sigh*

As we sat in our little room with the last of the Gemzar flowing into Rob's arm, he looked at me and again said, "I feel like I'm completely burned up inside, like I just smoked a whole pack of cigarettes, and I don't like this feeling."  And then he added, "I feel withered."  My heart is breaking.  No matter how hard I try, I can't make it all better.  All I can do is love him, protect him, care for him, be beside him, and keep him from drifting away from me.  We got home and he slept for hours.

We are trying to get the appointments set up for the second round of chemo, which the doctor said she was processing on Tuesday, but we seem to be having to swim upstream to get people to cooperate.  I am struggling hard with patience.  I assume people should do their job, and some days, assuming is the wrong thing to do.  I am getting tired.

Last night, as the evening progressed, Rob's temp continued to rise, which is another side effect from the chemo drugs, but one we have to watch.  If his fever gets to 100.4F, we are to handle it as an emergency and contact the doctor immediately.  Well, it got to 100.6F and we had to call the oncologist at 12:15am, only to be told to take Tylenol every 6 hours and go to the ER if it gets too high.  I really wish everyone would get on the same page in this book that we're part of right now.  It's making us crazy!

At 4:50am I took Rob's temp and it was way down, and we were very relieved.  As of this morning, it's 97.8F, he's smiling and feeling pretty good, and that in itself, is a blessing!

The sun is shining brightly today, so beautifully that the 30-degree temps feel refreshing... not only on the skin but in the soul.

Thank you all for the love and prayers and support that we so desperately need and appreciate.  I love reading the comments, and wish I could respond to each one.  Some day I'll figure out this whole computer-technology thing, but as I've noted before, I believe I can't respond to comments because God just wants me to listen.  And I'm okay with that.  :)

Please continue keep Rob lifted in your prayers... he is getting easily discouraged and having a hard time finding not only his physical strength, but his emotional strength as well.  Me, too.

In Love and Washed In Peace,

Cheri ♥