A Long, Long Day

Today started with a drive in the steady rain and rush hour traffic to the E.R. to have my arm looked at.  My left arm, where my port is installed,  has been hurting for 4 days now, a throbbing dull ache and slight swelling…time to check for a blood clot again.  My oncologist suggested I go through th E.R. for fastest service.  Well, after an over 2 hour drive just to get there, then 2 3/4 hours later finding that there is no clot that they can find on ultrasound (but doesn’t mean that there isn’t one, as the doctor said), I then drove 2 1/2 more hours to Charlottesville to pick up Curtis who has just completed his freshman year of college and bring him home for the summer

.  I let him drive the 2 hours home. I was beat!  Thankfully the rain let up.

The day we dropped Curtis off at college 10 months ago!

If the arm doesn’t stop hurting we will re-evaluate when I am there for my infusion two days from now.  Good news is that now I can take Ibuprofen for the pain.  Before, while on chemo, I wasn’t able to take it due to a low platelet count.  So we’ll see how that works.  I could opt to have the port removed and have them start a fresh IV for each infusion over the next 8 months.  I’d rather not have to do that,  so you can pray that the pain subsides!

My fingers still hurt and are numb on the tips. Here’s what they look like now- owie!  A chemo-manicure of sorts!  They feel like I smashed them in a door.  I will ask on Wednesday if I am able to have a real manicure – my friend has plans to take me next week,  before my trip to California.  I have never had one in all my 45 years so I guess it’s time to treat myself to some pampering, but my doctor may say ‘no’  so that he can monitor what it happening under the nails.   I am anxiously looking forward to some time away next week when I go to visit my family – some time away to not think about doctors and cancer, and a time to visit friends and celebrate my parent’s 50th anniversary and new niece’s 1st birthday…a much needed escape for me!