Lovin' Room 132

Tuesday - August 14, 2012

Jonathan moves me into the Critical Care Hospital

Getting the ball rolling is always the trickiest part of a chemo admission.  Medicine orders do not get submitted to the pharmacy until the patient actually enters the room and is "green banded" with an official admissions bracelet with medical record number.  Then you wait.  The start time for the chemo is critical because it dictates the waves of chemo to come; each round is spaced out at a specified interval from the time that first bag of chemo is hung.  For this even round of Hyper CVAD, I begin with a 24 hour infusion of methotrexate which must be purged from my body (untraceable in my blood) before I can be discharged.  Getting this methotrexate hung and dripping into my port is the goal ... and it usually takes about 4 hours after I arrive before this chemo ball rolls.  As I post, I have been settled into room 132 (my third visit in this bright room!) for two and a half hours and am still waiting for the RNs to arrive, covered in protective clothing, eyewear, gloves, and masks and carrying the chemo bag that will soon slough off the cells in my digestive track.  Bring it on, pharmacy!  Release the drugs!  My port is accessed, the sodium bicarbonate is dripping, my pH is perfect, and I am ready to go!

I do love being on the Oncology Floor.  Not only am I in a familiar space with a wide, bright window but I also know so many of the staff that it feels like a comfortable and nurturing community.  I have worked with both of my (amazing!) RNs for more than a few days and Dawnett - today's Care Partner - might have been paired with me on each of my five admissions to this floor.  Hugs and catching up with today's team, boisterous visits from staff assigned to other rooms who have seen that I am back for treatment, cheery notes from some night staff saying that they will see me later this week - what a lovely welcome!  What an incredible community!  I am so lucky to be here at VCU, benefiting from the expertise, caring, and connection with such a remarkable staff.  Good energy reaps good karma. Blessings abound.

After driving me to VCU and settling me into my room, Jonathan drove back to Blacksburg to begin his autumn semester at Virginia Tech.  We will miss him like crazy having been spoiled with a week of easy company and relaxed time with our wonderful boy.  I hope that all four of us will manage a quick rendezvous when Megan comes east from Davis in mid-September.  Until then, we have phone, internet, and Skype!