Thursday, September 10, 2015

Chemo School day 2-3

Welcome to my new office on the 6th floor of Seattle Cancer Care, located in the waiting room of the Blood & Marrow Transplant Clinic.  Here's where I roll in and out of meetings, check ups, physicals, mentals and dentals.  
Yesterday we started off with an x-ray of my mouth.  Then to meet our Social Worker Lindsey.  Lins was more like a psychologist as she spent an hour asking us questions about how we're feeling, if we're looking for resources, how we're adjusting and crap like that.  I ended up scoring a 6 out of a 100 on her test, which ment I was pretty adjusted to the shit show that's going on and I wouldn't have to meet with her anymore to discuss my "feelings."  The 6 points that I did end up getting were from the question of:  "what do you think about yourself when you look in the mirror?"  "Uh disgusted as I've withered away to a 177 pounder because of this shit."    Oh...ok.  "And John, how do handle your feelings when your sad about your situation?"  "Lindsey, I bury those thoughts so far in the closet and close the door, that I never have to worry about them ever coming out."  "Uh...yea...well good luck with the transplant, it was nice meeting you two."
Then off to meet Dr. Marcus and my yellow team nurse Cindy who went thru one more time, step by step all the medications, complications, sicknesses, and crap that could, may and hopefully won't go down thru this treatment.  As well as me signing my life away to consenting to go thru with everything and allowing myself to be used in as many studies and clinics while I'm in treatment to further the progression in looking for a cure for this stuff.   "Listen, I don't give a crap what you do to me while I'm in the hospital trying to get better here.  You need to get samples, poke holes, do this or that, I'm all for it.  BUT as soon as I'm out of here, I'M OUT OF HERE.  I am not coming back to this place. You dig?"  They dug.
Today was a breeze.  I met with the dentist and got a hour long exam of my dental work.  Which all checked out perfect as we have killer dental insurance and I see my dentist twice a year.  Apparently with the strong chemo that I'm getting, dude said that I should plan on having mouth sores for around three weeks post chemo.  They should get kinda gnarly and I'll have to get fed thru liquid for a bit as well as take pain meds for it.  Makes flossing sound fun at this point. 
Then off to the pulmonary testing where Janet put me in this fish tank and made me hyper ventilate for 45 minutes testing my lungs and their capacity.  Bingo, scored a 100 out of 100 here and my lungs, teeth, heart and head are all cleared to go.
Testing resumes next Monday.  I have tomorrow off.  

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