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Drugs

Today I started induction chemotherapy. Induction as in induction of remission (correct me if I'm wrong). It's the 7 + 3 protocol, which is 7 days of continuous delivery of Cytarabine, and 3 days in a row of Idarubicin. The goal of the treatment is remission, and this cycle of chemo is the first phase of treatment for any type of AML.

Nurse Cindy came in around 1pm today to start the chemo. Turns out nurses have to have a special certification to handle chemo drugs. They are so toxic, they have to don a gown and mask and wear gloves and mark these particular drug containers with special caution tape.



In fact, I have to pee in a hat (don't worry, I'll share more about that later), and the drugs will be coming out in my urine. So even my pee is toxic now. They like to measure my output before they dump it out, and now that I'm on chemo only a chemo-certified nurse is allowed to dump out my pee hat.

Now that I'm hooked up to this pump, it will be my constant companion for the next week. Every time I get up to pee in my pee hat I'll have to wheel it in with me. I'm taking suggestions for names for this guy/girl.

Besides the chemo drugs, I've completely lost track of most of the other drugs I'm taking to counteract side effects and whathaveyou. There's an anti-emetic, and anti-fungal, and something to help clear uric acid from my system. After being on the chemo for a couple hours, I feel a little drowsy, probably from the anti-emetic. I don't feel anything else yet.

Mom was here as I started the chemo, and she brought me nice soft sheets and a soft blanket and a poster for my bland wall. Oh and strawberries and watermelon and phad thai. Thanks Mom!


Comments

  1. UnknownAugust 23, 2017 at 10:14 PM

    Name the chemo companion Mr. Pembers. Ahr

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownAugust 23, 2017 at 10:16 PM

      You can leave out the "ahr," that was just me signing off.

      Delete

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