Chemo #2 has mostly been busy-work and Benedryl napping (on Day 1) so far. Today was Day 2 and was so "doable" that I biked to work (30mins), to chemo (20 mins), back to work (20 mins) and then home (30 mins). It was also a
Nausea and Fatigue seem to hit on Day 3 to 5 of a cycle, so I wouldn't claim to be consequence-free yet.
Other stuff I noticed:
1) My best veins are on my forearms, near my wrist. These also have the benefit of allowing me to bend my elbows without the needle binding. After inserting the needle pointing toward my elbow, the nurse tapes it down, and then doubles the IV back on itself and tapes things down again, so that the IV tube is also pointing toward my elbow.
2) For Oct 4&5 I am resolved to shave my arm hair. All the tape and tubing U-turns, described above functions as a strain-relief (not allowing tugs on the tube to tug the needle). BUT it also means there's a whole lot of taping going on, which means that then there's a whole lot of tape-ripping-off before the needle comes out. This would go better without arm hair.
3) I probably do have a small allergic reaction. Whereas the first time it got bad enough to cause a
"finger poke above Adam's Apple" feeling (and a 45 minute hold in Rituxan injections), with careful administration I've had just a strange, little cough, which we can't say is the tumor pressing, but must be some kind of irritation.
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