Chemotherapy Begins - Cycle 1 Day 1

My day started with a 9 am appointment with my oncologist, Carol.  We reviewed the basics of the nodular sclerosing, Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma diagnosis and the usual treatment which consists of 4 drugs with the acronym, ABVD (Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vincristine, Dacarbazine).  In all my reading, consultations with colleagues in the field, etc - this appears to be standard of care.  And although last month, there was a trial that I could have enrolled in trying a newer medication in the regimen, with slightly less side effects, this study was no longer available.  Both Virginia Mason and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) were participating in the trial but it ended shortly after the first of the year.  However, I wouldn't know if I was randomized to the new regimen or the usual ABVD and so this just made the decision easier - I'd go with the standard regimen.

I'll outline the diagnosis, implications in a different blog post but for now, I'll explain the rest of my day.  After meeting with Carol, who is an amazing, energizer bunny with the compassion of a saint, I met with the SCCA pharmacist, Paul.  Paul reviewed in great detail the potential for horrifying side effects of these 4 toxic medications, some of which can cause heart or lung damage or neurological changes (numbness, tingling or pain) in my hands and feet that may be irreversible or take years to reverse.  Then we reviewed the commonly known side effects of fatigue, nausea, weight loss and of course, destruction of my rapidly reproducing cells (cancer or non-cancerous cells) which include primarily my hair and blood cells.  So, yes, I will need to learn new head gear fashion.  I'm planning on using ideas from Pinterest to help me on style and learn how to use scarfs, etc to look fashionable.  As most of my friends know, however, I've always been about comfort and not so much look, so you'll probably see me find out what is easiest and most comfortable and wear that nearly every day. Fortunately, as my treatment will mostly be in the winter months, there will probably be something on my head nearly daily (except when those hot flashes occur.)  The best news that Paul shared was that my symptoms from these rapidly progressive lymph tumors in my chest (primarily my cough and gagging/vomiting), would significantly/noticeably improve within a week of the chemo as these agents are very fast acting.

After all of this was reviewed, Carol asked if I wanted to get started on Monday and I said, "Certainly, I would get started today if I could."  So, being the angel that she is, Carol called to the infusion center and spoke with Paul and asked if we could get started today, and they all gave the green light.   30-45 minutes later, they were accessing my port, drawing labs and hooking me up with the good stuff (I'll post more about that experience tomorrow).  The whole infusion process took a little over 4 hours, making for a long day (6.5 hours from when we started).  So, of course, Chris and I did our usual -- nap during it!  (He still does a better job than I, but I am learning this art from the master himself.)  They supply plenty of snacks, which came in handy since we didn't go prepared with lunch or anything.  Thus, my lunch consisted of pita chips with hummus, a cheese wedge, strawberry nutrigrain bar and seltzer water.  Since they don't feed spouses or companions, Chris purchased a coke and snickers bar (see picture below) at the gift shop, while waiting for one of my prescriptions, and I gave him the cashews that I had grabbed as I was already full after eating the other foods.

I'll end today's blog with a quote out of the handy notebook that they give to new cancer patients at the beginning of their journey, because I feel it sums up why I created this blog about my Cancer journey:  "The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same.  Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination." - Don Williams, Jr.