Oncologist's Visit and some thoughts

The Oncologist visit yesterday really really surprised me.  First I checked in then because I had my port I didn't go to the usual room to have my blood drawn, Tom and I went to the day treatment room and signed in.  Pretty soon I was called and one of the nurses examined my port then cleansed it with the small round delicate sponge on a stick that had some disinfectant on it.  Next she sprayed the area with this numbing solution, that stung a little bit and she said when it stung it let her know that the area was numb.

Next she took a needle attached to tubing and settled it in my port.  No pain like from a usual needle stick to the arm or hand, just pressure like someone pressing their finger against your skin.  Immediately she got the blood to draw and filled 8 tubes then flushed the line and port with saline and something that helps to keep the port from clogging (as usual with saline I got the medicinal taste in my throat) withdrew the needle, put a gauze square and tape on it and that was that.

Then Tom and I went over to the Oncologist side and I got weighed (gained 2 pounds)  then saw Kristin again.  She answered all my questions, told me if the pain in my ribs got worse or I just felt I needed something to call and they would phone in a mild pain reliever. Also told me to get Robitussin DM for my cough, I hated to tell her it wouldn't work, but hey, maybe this time it will, so will try it and then report back to her. My lungs are clear, no ascites, and my white blood count and platelets are right where they should be.  So, an appointment made for the 28th to see her again, get my results of the CEA counts and do my second session of chemo.

Tom and I then went grocery shopping and spent a couple hours. I noticed toward the end my lower belly (under a roll of fat (hate to admit that) wasn't feeling all that hot, kind of irritated you know?  Came home, put away groceries, had a late lunch then went in the bathroom and looked ~ OMG the worst possible heat rash whatever, ever!  Raw, red and slightly damp, I called my Oncologist and the receptionist said she would have him call me back.  He did and he said clean it well, dry it well and he was calling in a prescription for me for a powder to put on it and keep it dry.  He said he sees it a lot at this time of year in Southern California where skin meets skin.  It's a slight fungal infection, looks worse that it is and just keep it clean and dry.

So off we go to the pharmacy where I get this small bottle of an anti fungal medication I have to put on the area 3 times a day.

Tom and I stayed up a long time at night and I had taken a 5mg Valium as I had gotten anxious when I first saw my lower abdomen.  So we watched DVDs of Grey's Anatomy and then went to sleep.  I wake up at 5:30 am and have had a small accident in bed again, I got up, cleaned it up and put a towel over the spot and laid down, in about an hour I'll take a shower (it's 6:20 and Tom is sleeping and I don't want to wake him up) then dry myself off and put on the powder on my lower abdomen. And when Tom gets up I'll wash the coverlet and sheets.

I am going to have to stop drinking juice and ginger ale and water after say 9pm when I take a Valium as this is the second time this has happened, both small incidences but embarrassing nonetheless.

On a good note we went to the 99 cent store the other day and I bought a plastic champagne flute and some black fake roses with glitter on the top edges of the petals.  Last night when we got my prescription we stopped at  Michael's and I bought some glass stones (red hearts, oval clear and frosted ones too) and a bottle of clear glue. The glue was Tom's idea. I crafted! (grins)

We went down by the pool and I cleaned the glass and then arranged the glass stones and the black fake roses in it and poured the glue in until it seeped was down and through and around the stones and then filled the champagne plastic flute up.  It looks so pretty!!  With Tom's idea and my talent (grin) we did a craft together and it worked out well.