Lyrical: Chemophila

Chemo might not have gone well enough to say I loved it, but this fist phase mostly lived up to its Ghost of Christmas Past advance billing, so I couldn't resist the word play of Chemophilia.

The substitute Oncologist appreciates my jokes with audible laughter, so that is clear progress today.

But mostly it was boring. I would not be surprised if as much as 20% of the drear as one walks laps of the chemo ward (wheeling one's IV-on-pole) is actually just boredom dragging people's faces.

If you wanted to evangelize these people, offer free haircuts and a bit of conversation.

After an IV of Steroids, we began the big bag of Rituxan. As an immune therapy made in organisms, Ritxan has the potential for allergic reactions, and is dose-pumped in progressively faster flows, as they probe for a patient's limits. They found one (initially) on me.

At the 3rd or 4th step-up (while Benadryl-napping) I awoke with a small, new, unusual pen-poke sensation near my uvula. I reported it. Actually I was trying strange snorts and grunts to clear it, and asked Mrs Blogger to report it.  I earned myself a shut-off of the pump and an all-hands huddle like you might see on TV. (They don't want a throat reaction to mean my airways are closing.)

I was on drip-rate saline only until I could say I had been pain-free for 5 minutes solid. Took about 40 minutes for it to go away, and when Rituxan pumping resumed it was on the "baby steps" pace. But after several more step-ups, by the end of the bag they had reached today's target max.

The RN noticed that for the rest of the Ritxan, every time I saw her, I swallowed, testing my throat for the pain which never did return.

The Bendamustine went perfectly despite its mustard gas reputation for inflaming the veins. 

Tomorrow's Bendamustine-only session should be just 20 minutes of infusion sandwiched between 40 minutes of prep and pre-pills and 10 minutes of unhooking and au revoirs.

Written while downing a Vitamix slurry of coconut milk, veggie protein, greens, cilantro, wild blueberries, two eggs and plenty of hemp oil. Chased with a fresh ginger tea to ward off nausea.