1st day of chemo!!!

Today was a day that seemed so far off....I secretly dreaded but am actually glad to have started so we can get this thing goin' and over with.  Very nervous.  Wondered what the poke of the port would feel like as well as the chemo in my body, or how I would feel after and over the next few days.  Appointment time was 9:45 a.m.  Brendon and my mom joined me.  We were prepared with drinks, reading materials, movie etc.  I was very interested in distracting myself.  In the chemo room at American Fork hospital is a circle of lazy boys all in a circle with regular chairs for our guests.  Looks like chemo patients are the guests of honor.  It was a busy morning.  Waited just a bit before they hooked my port up.  Felt a little needle poke and it was done.  Not so bad.  They drew blood and we waited.  After a while, the nurse came over to go over the chemo medications and what to expect.  The day before (wed.) Dr. Bott decided to go with a different chemo regimen for my case after discussing it further with my surgeon, Dr. Jennifer Tittensor.  They discussed me in their tumor seminar that morning as well with various doctors who all felt it t be the best course.  We are going with what is called TCH.  These chemo drugs are called Taxotere, Carboplatin, and Herceptin.  I will now go in for 6 total rounds of chemo once every 3 weeks. Before it was 8 times every 2 weeks.  I think this is great news.  We will still be done around the same time (Brendon has figured it to be about Jan.10ish). but now there will be more time in between treatments to build up my white blood cell counts.  That means more time to build my immune system in between which apparently will be shot.  That will be interesting with 6 kids.  We are determined to be careful and are training our kids.  We are stacked with face masks and hand sanitizer thanks to my dad.
Anyway, so we began the chemo session.  First they start me with an anti-nausea medication which is such a blessing and has come along way in helping chemo patients fight horrible nausea.  Then they administered  benadryl in order to off set any allergic reactions to medication.  Once that kicked in, I was woozy and a bit out of it tired.  I did not like that feeling.  I am too sensitive to medications.  So, I just closed my eyes and tried to rest.  So much for my reading and movie idea.  Put my snuggie (thanks Tricia) over me and nodded off.  Figured out that next time I need music.  So, for a while I was a bit out of it.  Then all of a sudden I felt like the insides of my body were on fire.  I started to sit up and thought I was going to throw up.  My mom noticed my face and chest turning beat red and redder and redder.  I started to cry a tiny bit not liking that feeling at all and trying to get a grip on myself at the same time wondering why everyone else was doing just fine and not wanting to lose it in front of the whole group.  My mom called over the nurse who quickly turned off my drip and flushed me our with some saline.  I immediately felt better and so relieved.  So we started over placing the drip on low and gradually building which meant that the process took a lot longer.  I was Ok throughout the rest and was able to watch a movie to pass the time.  Charalece, my sister showed up to sit with us which was great.  Today is her birthday and I hoped to spend time with her and go to lunch after my chemo but it took too long so she and my mom, dad, and sisters took her out and brought Brendon and I halibut from Magleby's Fresh afterward.  I was hungry and it tasted so yummy.  My taste buds were slightly altered, I could tell, but it was still so good.  My radiologist, Dr. Clarke, came in to visit with us which was so nice.  We won't see him until after chemo but he wanted to check up on me.  He told me that he was glad to hear that I am HER2 positive which means I have a fast acting cancer (not good) but it responds so well to the cure that the Herceptin drug provides.  I will come in for the Herceptin drug every 3 weeks for one year.  We have the best team of doctors around and feel so much caring and confidence in their treatment plan for me.  All in all, I saw patients come and go until I was the only patient left in the room.  Total time was 6 hours which seemed quite long (we were expecting 2).  Guess my body does not respond well to poisonous chemo meds being injected into it to kill cancer.  Who knew.  I'm too delicate.  I felt quite tired afterward, came home and took a nap but was fine by 7:00 p.m.  Meanwhile, I held up in my bedroom while Brendon helped all the kids with dinner, clean up, homework, and bedtime.  My mom and Brendon's mom and Brinley helped with a project for Bailey.  Brendon is the greatest.  I felt so guilty for hiding away and hope he does not get burned out too quickly.  But I know I need to keep myself as healthy and rested as possibly to fight this.  Brendon has stepped up his game plan too.  He really understands what needs to happen almost better than I.  I love him and am so grateful for his fierce loyalty in every way during this whole process.  So thankful to have him with me today as well as my mom and Charalece.  Brendon's birthday is tomorrow, Oct. 1st (41).  We are hoping to go out to Texas Roadhouse with his work since our understanding is that I will feel OK today and tomorrow but Sat-tues. may be a little yucky.  Who knows what to expect.  I did not love today's experience but it was not so bad.  Anticipation may always be worse.  One down and 5 to go.  That doesn't sound so awful.  Thank you to everyone for your concern and prayers.  Sometimes I still cannot believe this is happening.  But we are a goin' now.  Love you all.