So, I'm done with my first treatment. To pick up where I left off, after the first bendamustine bag yesterday, I then received my rituxan. They metered this in slowly in 50 ml/hr increments. Starting at 50 ml/hr for 30 minutes, the nurses were taking extreme care watching that I was tolerating it (i.e not turning red, getting nauseous, having a cortisol hot flush). Those symptoms would indicate too many dead cancer cells were overwhelming my kidneys. I did fine at that dose, so the rituxan was given at 50 - 100 - 150 - 200 ml/hr each for 30 minutes. We took a 20 minute break, as I had some minor symptoms, but the nurses are so careful and attentive, we just did the saline drip and let me recover. Then restarted at 200 - 250 - 300 ml/hr until both bags were done. Maximum flow rate is 400 ml/hr, but I ran out of drugs before that injection rate! Phew! Next infusions will start at 250 and range up to 400 since I apparently did pretty well, so they should be shorter, but I still have to come back day 2 for bendamustine.
Joe was there at the beginning and the end, and Jessica W-A came by around 1:00 - we all had a pleasant visit while my drip was dripping. So nice. Because I was there so long, I saw about 30 patients come and go with their various cancers and chemo cocktails. I was so pleasantly surprised. It’s not a depressing place at all! People are lively and engaged, and because I’m a newbie, I got a lot of encouragement and reassurance. The Medical staff (i.e. doctors and nurses) are all super kind and attentive, as is the admin staff (financial aid folks, schedulers, check in people). Some of the patients were obviously very sick and struggling, but everyone is treated so well, and we all are cheering for each other. Not a club I wanted to join, but I have great veneration for my club-mates.
So today, I went back and had about a 1/2 hour long 2nd bag of bendamustine.
Then I went home and crashed. Only for a bit. It's those damn steroids. I hope to sleep tonight.
Glad to see that yours is the treatable kind of cancer and that the beginning of your journey is going well. I like your description of the cheerful cohort and caregivers. Who knew? Hoping it continues to go well, although it might be best, as you said, to expect some issues. Hope you rested well. As you can see, I'm up way too early. Your neighbor, Maria (#2)
ReplyDeleteCrashing is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteCrashing is a good thing.
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