Infusion Day.

I didn't know what to expect when I had my first infusion, so here's an attempt to chronicle the infusion I had yesterday.

• Showed up 10 minutes early, waited for 1 hour to get in to be weighed, blood pressure taken and in to see the doctor.
• Spent 10 minutes with doctor going over any problems during last cycle and me asking her questions about planned scans for end of January. Doctor continues to believe that 6 cycles will likely be best course of action, scans could change or confirm that.
• Back to reception room, wait for another 20 minutes until taken into infusion area--consist of a row of about 15 recliners and 5 beds.
• Heat pack applied to left hand to get veins to pop out. Needle stuck in and connected to infusion tube. Doesn't hurt at all.
  
• Saline bag started. 5 steroid pills given to take, along with tylenol . Steroid pills are bitter and I gag when I take them.
• An antihistamine bag is started takes about 20 minutes. Make me very tired , on the verge of sleeping, but NOT. I bring books and newsapers to read but after this I rarely have energy to do so.
  
• First rituxin bag given takes about 30 minutes. (The R in RCHOP)
• Second rituxin bag given, takes 1 hour.
• I wait for one hour for nurse to come back and start an anti anxiety drug. That takes about 20 minutes.
• Then the only bag of chemo is infused takes 40 minutes.
• Simultaneously the remaining three chemicals are injected from a separate line into my infusion.
• I get my prescriptions on the way out. $61 bucks.
  
• Total time 9AM-3:30PM, 6 1/2 hours, two hours plus of which was waiting.This was unusually long , normally I have been getting our right around 1:30.
  
• I get home and am pretty worn out . I eat a waffle, no butter, with syrup, take an anti nausea pill, watch tv for a bit and go to sleep. I sleep, with some interruptions/wake ups from about 5 PM to about 4 AM--11 hours.
  
• This morning I have taken two anti nausea medications and will shortly take the 5 steroid pills. Will repeat the same over next four days and then no meds unless I need to take the anti nausea plils--I have two types of those
  
• Likely need to do only TWO MORE INFUSIONS!