Well cycle 2 has started.  I asked for rides this time just because I wasn’t sure about the benadryl affect.  SO an angel drove me all over creation to do errands and then dropped me off at the cancer center.  The port access went smoothly even with a new nurse doing it.  I just had her recline my chair and she filled the vials no problem.  The problem that arose, however, was that  one lab order had not reached her in time, and they had to take one more vial when I was out at the chemo chair and we had to wait for those results before proceeding.  Waiting…waiting…waiting.  But it gave time for me to talk with the oncologist.  I asked if she could split the dose of benadryl in half.  She was very amenable and changed the order.  It was much easier to drink tea, draw and write with only 25 mg of that drug in my system.  It was so easy to get it reduced, I don’t really know why they start with 50 mgs.  I suspect dealing with a groggy patient is easier than dealing with an allergic reaction to Taxol.

I met someone who is the American Cancer Society Patient Navigator who works at the cancer center.  She’s a Nurse Practitioner and is the liaison that I think we were missing at the start of all this.  She basically can hook us up with whatever we need.  She has tons of information from the cancer society about funds and services available to help cancer patients.  She is a delightful woman.  She turned me on to Casting for Recovery which provides retreats for breast cancer women free of charge.  It’s a weekend of fly fishing instruction and interaction with others who’ve been there.  If you’re interested in learning more or donating to this cause, you can go to www.castingforrecovery.org.  I’m definitely looking into this.  I hope to be able to do this this summer.

The infusion went fine once we could get started.   The whole thing took a lot longer than usual because of the lab glitch, but I was keeping myself occupied.  I was asked to show some of my artwork to the nurses.  I called another angel for a ride home.  The katz and I napped and I was grateful for the crock-pot that was simmering while I slept.  Again I was careful about what I ate.  I drank a lot of water before and after the infusion and around 3 this morning I awoke with a bursting bladder.  When I woke I had some feeling in my intestines that I might categorize as mild cramps.  I was also really thirsty.  It wasn’t nausea that I was feeling.  I emptied my bladder and drank a bunch of water and when I lay back down it felt much better.

Today, day 2, I’ve felt well.  Small snacks throughout the day helped. I worked in the morning, had acupuncture mid day and worked from home in the afternoon.  A friend is bringing chinese food for us tonight and yesterday when we spoke about preferences I was really tempted to have her order some hot and sour soup…but wanted to be careful.  I told her I’d give her a gut update today.  (Gupdate for short.)  This afternoon’s gupdate was: BRING THE SOUP!

I find that when I’m asked how I am feeling, that I cautiously say “good” .  I do feel good.  We’ll see how I feel after the soup though!