What I want most of course for the New Year is for this sad chapter in my life to be over. Day 31 in chemoland. I feel much more queasy today than yesterday. Actually I didn't feel any queasiness at all until the afternoon. I took the wrong Emend tablet yesterday. They come in a 3 pack ($500 per pack). The big one is supposed to be taken an hour before infusion and the smaller two over the next 2 days. But I was thrown off by not having the big one in my hands before the first infusion (noone told me). The hospital gave (sold) me a big one and told me to fill the prescription later in the day and always reserve the big one for the next infusion. Well I was good about that until yesterday when I blindly gobbled up the big one. I can save the little one for the next infusion or get another 3 pack. Allegedly I won't need Emend at all for the Taxol phase.
I thoroughly read the Emend brochure. Seems to be a clean drug (not much side effects-only blocks Substance P that is responsible for initiating vomiting). I also look at the structure to see if I could have possibly made it. I see a few steps that would make the synthesis a bitch. Still not clear if it is more effective if taken with the nasty steroids or not.
It was also the day for Steve to give me a shot of Neulasta. Not fun and it seemed to hurt more this time. I am grateful that I don't have the bone pain that many get because of it. Plus it seems to be working. Steve had to make numerous phone calls to get the first two doses approved. Apparently we were to have arranged this weeks in advance. The local pharmacy sold the first two doses for $8000. The second two doses, which we ordered the 'right way' came shipped in ice complete with a sharps container last Saturday with a pricetag of $12,000. This should last through my Red Devil phase but I will need some for the Taxol phase too. We will have a completely different insurance plan then-costs much more for much less benefits. But I guess we should be lucky that we get any insurance at all given that we are 'unemployed'. Every day new bills come in the mail. Fortunately very little co-pays and the few times that things weren't covered, they became covered when Steve complained.
One mom came to visit during the day, which was very much appreciated. Two other friends came over at night for our New Year's Celebration bringing lots of goodies that I would have snarfed down in a second had I been less queasy. We watched Little Rascal's episodes from my friend's collection until close to midnight. I had nodded off as I had gotten up very early that day to deal with Spud. But it was nice and I am very, very grateful for my good friends. Naomi spent the first half of the evening at a basketball team sleepover but insisted that she be picked up and delivered to her one friend who is only here during holidays and would have spent the night alone otherwise.
I am picking up new countries in my readership. Today Turkey and Germany. Yesterday Hong Kong.
Wishing all my cancer warriors out there in Cancerland the best this year, which would be a perpetual NED (no evidence of disease)!
I thoroughly read the Emend brochure. Seems to be a clean drug (not much side effects-only blocks Substance P that is responsible for initiating vomiting). I also look at the structure to see if I could have possibly made it. I see a few steps that would make the synthesis a bitch. Still not clear if it is more effective if taken with the nasty steroids or not.
It was also the day for Steve to give me a shot of Neulasta. Not fun and it seemed to hurt more this time. I am grateful that I don't have the bone pain that many get because of it. Plus it seems to be working. Steve had to make numerous phone calls to get the first two doses approved. Apparently we were to have arranged this weeks in advance. The local pharmacy sold the first two doses for $8000. The second two doses, which we ordered the 'right way' came shipped in ice complete with a sharps container last Saturday with a pricetag of $12,000. This should last through my Red Devil phase but I will need some for the Taxol phase too. We will have a completely different insurance plan then-costs much more for much less benefits. But I guess we should be lucky that we get any insurance at all given that we are 'unemployed'. Every day new bills come in the mail. Fortunately very little co-pays and the few times that things weren't covered, they became covered when Steve complained.
One mom came to visit during the day, which was very much appreciated. Two other friends came over at night for our New Year's Celebration bringing lots of goodies that I would have snarfed down in a second had I been less queasy. We watched Little Rascal's episodes from my friend's collection until close to midnight. I had nodded off as I had gotten up very early that day to deal with Spud. But it was nice and I am very, very grateful for my good friends. Naomi spent the first half of the evening at a basketball team sleepover but insisted that she be picked up and delivered to her one friend who is only here during holidays and would have spent the night alone otherwise.
I am picking up new countries in my readership. Today Turkey and Germany. Yesterday Hong Kong.
Wishing all my cancer warriors out there in Cancerland the best this year, which would be a perpetual NED (no evidence of disease)!
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