Chemo Day -- It Could Always Be Worse!

Can now RECEIVE, but still cannot SEND, email. AAARRRGGGGHHH!!!!
(I'm having a Charlie Brown moment!!)

Quick update of today (will have to catch up another time):

Chemo in the morning -- I cleverly thought to have a friend who can work on her laptop join me and work for most of the time, while I slept. Since there were MANY unforeseen problems today, she ended up being a TREMENDOUS help!! And she still managed to get a ton of work done. (yay!)

TROUBLE with my PORT -- the IV drip wouldn't work. they tried switching the port tubing (i.e. sticking me with another needle), switching the IV tubing, sending my to x-ray the port, etc. All this, AFTER I already received over half the dose of Phenergan and was woozy and sleepy. They kept waking me up!

Eventually, they decided to inject urokinase (blood thinner) into the port. They wanted to do that and then send me home, to come back tomorrow! No way!! I was already doped up, and had completely lost the day anyway. Not to mention that my friend (who it turns out is really an angel!) was available to help me ALL DAY today. Whereas it would be a nightmare to do it tomorrow!!

In my stupor, I tried to convey all this forcefully enough to enlist their assistance -- I did not want to be too forceful (unlikely, since I kept falling asleep in the middle of our conversations).

I guess I succeeded, because some time after they gave me the urokinase, they moved my bed to the regular oncology ward, where the nurses there gave me the preparations and chemo (Taxol). The nurses put me in one of the isolation rooms, so I was there by myself (with my friend).

I did not care where I was as long as I could sleep!!

I woke up around 6:30 pm. My friend managed to find me some dinner (not bad for hospital food!). I was supposed to be at my kids' school for Parent-Teacher night, but I had at least another 10-15 minutes left. *sigh*

I finished chemo at 7:00 pm and my friend drove me straight to my kids' elementary school!! (I kid you not!)

We talked to ALL the teachers who were there, and also the guidance counselor (yoetzet) and the principal. Overall, the kids are doing well!! (more on that another time, b'li neder (no promises))

Then we left the Rova (the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, where my kids learn), at around 10:30 pm, and stopped off at my sister's to pick something up.

Then Moshe dropped me off at home, and he went to work to finish putting my medical files in digital format.

I wanted to go straight to sleep, but MY KIDS WERE STILL AWAKE!! It was ELEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT!!

I wanted to just sing to them, but they were so anxious about what their teachers said.... So I went over what everyone said (good for my kids, not-so-good for me, but still the "right" decision). Then, AFTER MIDNIGHT, I sang everyone to sleep. (Well, not to sleep, but relaxed enough that they all went to sleep without asking to read!!)

Then I had a quick talk with Y, who was having a rough day and just needed someone to listen.

Then, I decided to "just quickly look at my email," now that it was working again... BIG MISTAKE!!

An hour and a half later, exhausted, and out of my mind, I noticed that EVERY SINGLE EMAIL BOUNCED BACK!!!

I give up!!! The emails will wait for tomorrow!

Moshe is still at work trying to make my medical files accessible on the web!!

Did I mention that I have to get up early tomorrow morning????



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA