Tuesday, July 26, 2011

It's LIVE BLOG CHEMO DAY!!!!

So I finally remembered my laptop, and there's more people around, so I figured that I'd blog the steps as well as the excellent people watching today is sure to bring.

10:03 - Just watched a dude get his port flushed. you know how I hate needles when they go into me? its the exact same result when I look and the nurse is stabbing some 70 yr old dude in the chest. Stomach just got queasy like Woah!

10:05 - Let's go around the room and talk about who's in here. I'm over in the corner due to the fact that I don't really want a random person, who may or may not be a "Chatty Cathy" to prop up next to me. My Mom is to my left and then there's 2 older gentlemen as we move around the room. I'll leave them alone as they both seem to be really feeling the effects of their chemo. I'll make fun of myself, but old men telling nurses that they've been puking 6 times a night isn't funny. To be honest, seeing someone really suffering freaks me the fuck out. I dont really want to think about it often, but eventually I may have to. Until then back to the blog.

10:11 - on the opposite side of the room will be what I call the "generic Teva sandal club" (So much for not making fun of people, but I passed my limit when Teva guy #1 AKA Crocodile Dundee mentions his snakebite once more). The other TEVA guy seems like he just wants treatment and to go home. he is wearing an orange bracelet that says, "BOOBIES RULE!!". I can't really find any fault with his proclamation there.

10:19 - bag #2. its decadron. anti-nausea. 15 minutes. Also, Teva #2 guy is now known as Vera Bradley bc his wife brought his lunch in a Vera Bradley bag.

10:26 - Vera Bradley is getting his port poked. Why can't I look away? In the meantime Croc Dundee made a run for it, but turned out to be a bathroom break. I had hoped for roughly 2-3 nurses tackling him as he ran past the windows. I'm now poetically playing the Stones, "You Can't Always Get What You Want", So, so true Mr. Jagger. You see right through me!

10:38 - In the storage section at the end of this room, they have roughly 6-8 wigs sitting on mannequin heads. over 50% of them look either female or chemotherapy makes you prefer some sort of afro or perm. I want to try them all on. Maybe for each bathroom trip, I'll wear a different wig...

10:40 - they just dropped in my Cisplatin bag. 1 of 2 I'll get today. Just to let you know how serious these drugs are. side effects are as varied as things like hearing loss. Yeah, I know right. I play guitar, so I assumed I would take care of that myself over time, but it can make your ears ring. which it did very, very briefly last night to me. weird stuff man. It's also really tough on the kidneys, so they pump you full of hydration before and after, plus I drink like 120 oz. of water a day now, so I think my kidneys see the cisplatin coming and are all like, "PPPShawwww".

10:52 - I've been listening to the new Death Cab for Cutie album for about 30 minutes now. I'm not impressed. Maybe it's one that grows on you, but as of now, meh!

11:04 - Everyone is trying to sleep in here. I just tore through a bag of Lays like a Somalian refugee. I'm that guy.

11:40 - everyone is in sleepy town, it's boring now. Good news is that I'm almost finished. Well that and Pei Wei gave me a 20% take away email coupon. So my Tuesday kicks butt!!!! What Up General Tso?

11:48 - Bathroom Break!!!!! You think breaking the seal is bad when drinking a ton of beer? Chemo + IV drip is about ten times worse. I don't understand how the IV drip goes through your system so quickly? I would put the over/under on bathroom breaks for the rest of the day at 4. and I only have 90 minutes or so to go....

12:08 - Croc Dundee went home. He was excited. For a bologna sandwich with cheese, mayo, & homegrown tomatoes. I'm nauseous again. come on General Tso!

12:22 - Chemo done. Last of IV going in. I should be out of here within an hour. So it's time to shut this bad boy down. I hope you guys enjoy these bc in some ways they're easier to let you see how a typical day goes.

Let me know in the comments section if you enjoy this bc if so, I may try to do one per week during chemo weeks, other weeks I doubt you'd want a live blog of my ESPN watching and napping. If you do, I can arrange that, but we should discuss some possible mental issues you may have before that juncture, weirdo.





8 comments:

  1. So Ima need your mom to take some photos of you sportin those wigs on your potty breaks. If you can promise me that, I'll be sure to leave veggies out of your chicken noodle soup.

    And I feel the same way about the DCFC album. I was so disappointed. I've always loved everything they've done until this last one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. yeah yeah! live bloggin is as real as it gets! hey, kevin, i'm brian - fellow cancer dood - i work with your wife and my wife spoke to her about you. seems youre in good spirits and thats the way to be. hope that chemo junk doesnt bring you down man, it wore on me after a couple of months, but, only physically, kept the upbeat thing going cuz shit, chances were pretty good that i was going to escape that whole thing with life intact - can't get down knowing that! anyway - preshate the entertainment. Still the same, Brian

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the updates! Was curious what all chemo entailed. At the end of this, you can write a book! I'm thinking I'll bring yall something to eat Friday. And it will be cheesy and not low-cal.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the live blog. And yes, wig modeling on potty breaks would make a very nice photo montage.

    The "Deathcab" album was was pretty weak. The new Foo Fighters is pretty awesome however.

    ReplyDelete
  5. WTG Keving, would LOVE to see the wig photos too...so you must do that! I always wondered too what happened 'in there'...and your blow by blow, especially with Vera Bradley guy...ha! Hang in there and if you need anything, you know we are right next door. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Man the live blogging is super gay (insensitive? Perhaps...love ya brother) Then again you live a 800 miles away so I'll take anything I can get. Not going to lie but I seriously hope I was the only guy laughing at the somolian refugee comment because I'M THAT GUY...so I like it that I still relate to your humor!

    Hang in there brother...I am behind you all the way on this!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey Kevin! I like the live blog, and i'd have to agree the Foo Fighters new album is great.

    Lindsay told me about the Dick Rules braclet and I think its genius!!! I also think you should send leno an update about it once its in full swing ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. U r AWSOME! I know that you will beat this! U r a strong and very comical human being! LOVE IT!!!

    ReplyDelete