When Chemotherapy Goes Bad

Today I had my first chemotherapy treatment.  It almost killed me.  But before I tell you about that I will start with yesterday when I had a port surgically placed in my chest.

The day started with chemo class where I learned about the side effects of chemo.  This information may have saved my life today.

Before surgery my family said I looked like a Blue Bonnet or a Blue Sunflower.

After surgery I had a allergic reaction to the something they had put on my neck.  The nurse put this heated blanket around my head. When they rolled me into my room my husband thought I looked so funny that he just had to snap this picture. 

In this picture you can see the port in my chest and you can also see the red rash on my neck, itchy itchy. 

They started my chemo session around 12 noon. 

For the first 45 minutes they gave me nausea medication, benedryl, and Xantax.

A friend had given me this Holding Cross.  It was very comforting to hold the cross.

I also wore my BFF braclet so my "Best Friend Forever" would be there with me.

My husband, my mother and her friend were all there supporting me. 

The first chemo chemical that they gave me was Taxotere.  Once it was started I sent my husband to get a prescription filled for nausea medicine.  My mother was in the waiting room.  About 5 minutes after the chemo started dripping I couldn't breath and my heart started beating out of my chest. I knew from what I had learned in class that I needed a nurse immediately.  There was no family there to get a nurse.  Thankfully a nurse walked by and I yelled at her.

At this point my face flushed bright red.  It felt like it was on fire.  Then my back started hurting, a little at first then I had very severe back pain.  The nurse stopped the chemo drip and gave me an injection of steroids.  My blood pressure was very low then it went extremely high. 

I actually thought I was going to die.

 

I was back to normal in about 20 minutes.

Prayer works. 

My oncologist checked on me several times during this episode.  She said I had a severe reaction to the Taxotere which is very unusual.  We are going to try again the first week in October with some other combination of chemicals.

They let me go home once my blood pressure was stabilized.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Until next time,