Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Field Trip

Since a day of chemotherapy is so much fun, I thought you might like to join me on a field trip.

Ready?

It's not a bad drive to Huntsman. I just head up Foothill, past the University, then a little further east to the hospital. Would you believe they have valet parking? With no tipping allowed? It's very convenient.

I stopped in the middle of the road to take this picture, so please take a moment to appreciate it. It was quite crooked until I used the "straighten" tool in Picasa. Have you tried it? I love it.

This really is a gorgeous facility and doesn't "feel" like a hospital, which is so very nice. It is light, clean, and modern, but doesn't even smell like a hospital. Actually, it feels more like a hotel, but I haven't had the pleasure of a sleepover ... yet. There are two good restaurants on the top floor. I'll tell you more about those shortly.

Every few weeks, I see my doctor first. She checks me out and answers all my questions and always has a big hug for me. I love her. Have I told you that? Dr. Saundra Buys, in case you should find yourself in need of an amazing breast cancer doctor. My friend Courtney echoed my sentiments exactly about these doctor visits: it feels like Mardi Gras because everyone always wants me to lift up my shirt and show them my girls!


Next stop: the IV and labs. They draw my blood every time I have chemo (which is every Friday, by the way) to check my kidney and liver function, my white and red blood cell count, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Assuming everything is working okay, I get the gift of toxicity. So far, they haven't turned me away yet, which means that my body is handling the chemo just fine. Sometimes, a nurse will strongly encourage me to get a port, which is a thing about the size of a quarter that would go just under my collarbone and stay there until I'm done with chemo. I don't want one, though, and since I don't have to have one, I choose a different vein each time for my IV. If I were scared of needles or if I had already had surgery, I would need one, but for now, I just tell them where to stick it.

While I wait for my labs to come back and my chemo to be prepared, I usually have time for lunch. There are two really good restaurants on the top floor, and if I have time, I nearly always get the blackened salmon, steamed vegetables, and green tea. Antioxidants, anyone?


This is the long, long hallway that goes to the infusion room, which is the place where everyone gets their chemotherapy and any other injectable, like blood, I guess, when you have to get hooked up to an IV to get it then sit and wait a while. They plunk me in a recliner that has a TV, offer warm blankets and pillows, and connect me to the toxins.

See?

It usually takes me about three hours or so to finish up, so I always take my laptop. Sometimes, the beeping and cancer talk all around me start to make me a little nuts, so I've found it's really helpful to take my big old Bose headphones and a movie. I like to chat with the other patients, too, and have some good friends there since we see each other all the time, but not everyone is chatty. Some people will have chemo for the rest of their lives, while others like me will finish up and move on, and the nurses sing, ""Happy end of chemo to you ... your therapy is through!"

This is the infusion room nurses' station. They are all extremely nice and helpful, like everyone I've met at Huntsman, and one of them is assigned to me the whole time. When I'm done and the alarm beeps, they free me from the IV, which always makes me happy. They nearly always have a big basket of chocolate (smart ladies) and there are always free hats that nice people knit or sew and donate to us baldies. Our heads get cold in the winter.

It helps to have cute socks, because I like to kick back in the recliner and I wouldn't want to have ugly feet. Thank you, Brent, for the cute socks.

Was that fun, or what? I'm glad you joined me on the field trip via blogland, because a real day of infusion therapy is really quite boring.

8 comments:

Anne Marie said...

The Huntsman Cancer Institute is such a beautiful building. My sister had a wedding reception there some years back (when they were still finishing it), and I loved it. The view was incredible. If you're going to have to do "infusion therapy", that sounds like the best place to do it. Glad you have a great doctor. That makes a huge difference. Hope you were feeling well enough on Thanksgiving to eat lots and lots.

Alyson said...

Loved the field trip! I had a gall bladder test recently and it wasn't nearly so high-class.

Leisha Mareth said...

Is it wrong that I find this fascinating? I like seeing what you see and what you are experiencing...

Leisha Mareth said...

P.S. LOVE the socks!

Brent Hall said...

Hey! I sent you those socks! I always loved that area where the Insitute is. I been hiking up there many times.

Spinal Cracker said...

Great entry. Love the pics.

Unknown said...

I loved the field trip. I have been to Huntsman several times with my mother. She had a mastectomy 2 years ago and is doing great. It is beautiful up there and the staff is excellent!

I love the socks too! I am a funky socks lover so I might have some new finds to send your way.

Hope you had a good Thanksgiving and that you are getting some good rest!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad to get a bird's eye view of what I'm going to get to do. Looks like a great facility. Mine's older, 80's decor! Ha ha.
Karen