Another unscheduled trip to the doc...

Today it was time for yet another unscheduled trip to the doc. This morning I was once again running a temperature and called it in to Dr. V's nurse. She told me to come in immediately so that they can draw blood (always fun for me!) for various cultures. Thus we headed back over to the Cancer Center. 

The blood draw was indeed fun, as in order to determine whether the chemo port is infected they cannot solely take blood from there. Thus a blood draw from my right hand (about the only place left where they can stick me) was necessary. It was torturously slow, as the blood came only in drips even though the nurse got the vein on the first stick. For blood cultures, they have to fill those largish bottles with blood, so they need a lot, which took forever. My vein didn't really gush until the nurse took the needle out. Go figure... The port stick was also  fun and hurt this time as I was at an odd angle. Plus, otherwise reliable nurse L forgot to flush the port with heparin before she removed the blood draw needle. So she needed to access the port twice -- but thankfully she could use a smaller needle for the second stick, making it less painful. Boy was I glad when they were done poking me and sucking blood out of me. 

They also obtained a urine sample, so now they will be culturing me from every which end. Let's hope nothing turns up. Unless they find something (which could take several days) Dr. V doesn't want me on any antibiotics. So I am once again home after my blood sucking expedition to the Cancer Center. 

On the pain front, however, there is good news to report. Dr. V's nurse C said that it was ok to use the Vicodin I had leftover from the mastectomy. Luckily, those finally cut through the muscle pain. What a difference!!! The nurse got quite mad at the on-call oncs who had told me to take over the counter stuff (particularly the ibuprofen, which I really shouldn't take while on blood thinners). Without that pain, I am a much happier camper again!!! Unfortunately, the Vicodin seems to make me slightly nauseous, but that is easy enough to control with food and a small price to pay for being almost pain-free again after the debilitating joint pain. With those Vicodin I can see myself taking further Taxol treatments, but without it would be another question...

When I call for my preliminary blood results tomorrow, I need to remember to ask about taking vitamin B6 or a B-50 complex, though. Today I was too strung out by all that sticking to have enough wits about me to ask. Stupid chemo brain doesn't help, either. 

But overall I feel that things are improving, which is such a welcome change after this rather uncomfortable weekend for me. It was really sweet of DH, too, to stay home with me unasked and take care of me and drive me around to the doctor's office. How can you not love a sweet, caring, nurturing, and supportive guy! I'm one lucky gal...