June 25, 2010

Since February 2010, June 25 was supposed to be the day I wake up, get my bike gear together, kiss my family good-bye and drive with my girlfriends to Logan to participate in the Harmons MS Ride. I had to change my plans because of my cancer treatments. For a while, i thought my treatments would be over and I would be well enough to go ride. Unfortunately my tumor was a little bigger and needed extra treatments. I raised $250 for Multiple Sclerosis Research in Utah. I appreciate all the people that donated to the ride this year. Tim, Mindy, Julie and her co-workers, Jennifer, Rick, Sue Ann, Sarah and the Crescent 23rd RS. Thanks so much for supporting me and Multiple Sclerosis Research here in Utah. Next year I plan to ride!
This morning we arrived at the LDS hospital on time, what a surprise. We waited until about 6:10am and got called back. There was nurse Bobbi ready to try her hand at my port. Bobbi asked me very politely, "Do you mind me trying to access your port or would you like me to call the other nurse?" I told Bobbi i would feel more comfortable with the other hack nurse accessing it, and Bobbi was very understanding. She let me know it would be another hour until the nurse would be here. Great. The other nurse came and got me all set up, come to find out she is the floor nurse coordinator. Can't remember her name.
Off to the surgery room. I saw my doctor and we chit chatted as I rolled into the OR. A nurse asked me my name and birthdate, as usual, and i responded. Then she asked me what procedure I was expecting to receive today. I said, "a breast augmentation and a nose job." She looked at me with her over made-up eyes and paused. I started to laugh and said "fletcher implants," and she realized i was joking. I actually was very relaxed, I wasn't even medicated at this time, just relaxed because i had been through this twice before and knew the outcome. Then another nurse started taking off my pants, I don't remember this part. I let the nurse know I don't remember this part and she cleverly told me it's because the doctor hasn't given you pain meds. No kidding. "Pain doc, I'm still awake, can you do something about that?" Dr. Richards, pain doc, told me he would get right on it and soon i was going to that happy place i go to every friday morning, to deep medicated sleep.
Recovery room. Oh my aching urethra. The catheter is not my friend this morning. I opened my eyes to find i had a lovely window seat and i was out of the OR by 8:30am, fastest time yet. I raised my hand to get the nurses attention. I asked her how long i would need to stay and she said until 9am. I started chit chatting with her and around 8:50am she said they should take me down because i was so awake. I think i was bugging her with all my questions and smart ass comments. I got wheeled down to radiation by Lindsey Lloyd, USA Olympic alternate for the womens boarder cross team, woohoo! I didn't know snowboarders had real jobs? Just kidding.
At radiation i was wheeled right into the CT scan room. I met a new nurse on the floor, January. Sweet, one more person to see my lady business. They move me to the machine and i relax as much as i can, oh yeah, nurse marilynn fixes my catheter, now it hurts a little less. CT scan complete. Now where is Chris. They wheeled me to the hall and Chris came to me from the waiting area. Chris has his ipod game to play while i lay there resting. About an 45 minutes go by and the doctor and all the nurses come over and wheel me into the radiation room. It seems that each week more and more people are joining me for the festivities. This time there is a chemist that is assisting. I didn't get his info because by this time i am ready to get this over with. Oh yeah and January the new nurse is there, this is her first experience with internal radiation. I watched her eyes as they hooked me up to the machine. She was not expecting that when the doctor lifted up the blanket and hooked me up. Wish i would have had my camera. Todays procedure will last 10 minutes.
Dr. Sause comes in with his entourage and unhooks me. "Sara are you ready, faster is quicker, you'll be done in no time." I say okay and he starts to remove the packing. Oh how I dislike this part. Nurse Januarys face is still taken back by the amount of packing that is being pulled from my who-ha. "Almost finished Sara, I'm going to remove the ovoids. Just relax." Sure, I'll relax as soon as that stuff is out. Finally it's over and i relax. Nurse Marilyn comes over to let me know they want me to get a blood transfusion because my counts are very low and it would be to my advantage to get blood. I am freaked out at the thought of getting blood but i know it's going to help. I slowly get up and get wheeled over to the changing rooms. Chris talks to me about the blood transfusion. He tells me we have to go to the IMC hospital right now and get typed for the blood. WHAT! I don't want to go from one hospital to the next. I know it has to be done so i deal with it.
We get to IMC hospital at 11:30am. Check in and go to the lab. The lab assistants are not qualified to access my port so I either have to get an IV in my arm or go to a different lab where a qualified nurse can draw my blood. I tell the nurse if she can find a vein then whatever, then i start crying like a baby. I don't want an IV that's why I have a port. The nurse tells me it's no problem to go to the other lab and she understands why I'm upset. Chris wasn't there for the water works and comes into the lab room to see me crying. I tell him we have to go to another building because they can't access my port and off we go.
We are sent to the Cancer Center were we spend most of our time with radiation and chemo, but this time we go to the 3rd floor. This is the transfusion floor and they also do chemo treatments here. Come to find out this floor is specifically for people with a lot of money that want a private room to receive their cancer treatments. So this is where the rich come to get treatments, not downstairs with the commoners. We get checked in and wait to get called back. The reason for this blood draw is to get the type of blood i need. They actually type it more specifically so that i won't have any allergic reactions.
We finally leave the hospital around 1:30pm. Can't wait to get home to lay down. I'm really not as tired as i normally am. My abdomen is tight and i feel a little tired but i have a hard time falling asleep. My sweet girls are at my dads so the house is very quiet. Chris has to go to work so I am left to rest by myself. This time tomorrow I will have a wonderful giving strangers blood in my body. Wonder who's blood I'm getting? Thank you blood givers of the world, you are amazing people! Oh yeah thanks to Michelle who brought us dinner, it was delicious!