Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Day One

Well, Loyal Legions, if catnapping is ever an Olympic event, I stand ready to lead Team USA to victory. Even the boatload of painkillers I took yesterday could not trump the Dex (steroid). The good news is, the Dex dose for the next three days is just 4 mg instead of 10mg. Even without the dex, I might have been too anxious to sleep.

Day One starts with daily meds and daily blood draws. Already, I hate Portitia (the central line catheter) about 1% less. The neck pain is about 1% better. I managed to get down about half of my breakfast: an egg sandwich, the obligatory fruit cup, and some juice. Because of fear of infection, I seem to be on a no fresh fruit diet and it's killin' me. The one thing I want to eat is off limits. I've tried their canned fruit a couple of times, and I don't want to think about how long ago it was canned.

Everyone has been telling me that the transplant itself is a bit of a non-event, so that's what I was expecting. Well, it's a bit more than that. An hour prior, I get a bunch of pre-transplant meds: aniti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-nausea, anti-anxiety and I don't know what else. Then the hoopla begins. Lots of equipment is wheeled in, including a large cart with all kinds of stuff. The stem cells are brought up frozen and defrosted "while-u-wait!" Mom &Dad on one side, me in the bed, and the army of nurses and the supervising Doc God on the other. It looked like they were getting ready to embalm me.

I was already loopy from the anti-anxiety meds; even though they explained what they were doing each step of the way, I just had glassy-eyed nods in response. "Uh-huh." Then as the actual transplant begins, I feel the tension level in the room increase, like air pressure. I get just a flash of warning -- "I'm going to be sick"-- and a small basin is handed to me just in time. A little more of this, a little more of that, the whole thing is over in 20 minutes, but I was out cold long before.

DAY TWO
An uneventful night thanks to that boatload of medicine and a sleeping pill. I've had intermittent hiccups the last 12-18 hours. A tablespoon of peanut butter is an excellent remedy. However, in my case, it only lasts another half hour and then the hics are back! So now we add anit-hiccup meds to the lengthy list of anti-[fill in the disaster] medications.

And now, I'm just going to relax and enjoy my ice water, my cable-of-many-stations, and the opportunity to nap at will, without car doors slamming or dogs barking. I think (hope) I'm entering a boring phase, so maybe a few more nostalgic posts may be in order.

8 comments:

Michelle said...

they make anti-hiccup meds? why am I surprised by this tidbit?? I hope the worst is over, and your catnaps turn into a more deep and restful slumber--you've earned it!

Meeta Banerjee said...

I hope your recovery is a safe and fast one.
...when will the fruit nazis allow you fruit?

Margaret said...

Canned fruit is safer than fresh fruit?...well, well, I learn something every day...

Thinking about you and sending you my very best wishes (in both Italian and English!) for a superspeedy and uneventful recovery full of catnaps (love catnaps, myself...in fact, in my next life I have decided to be a beloved, spoiled and bratty housecat who is fed only pasta and dark chocolate cake...)...

Keep us posted.

Margaret
Florence, Italy

Unknown said...

I'm wondering about those anti-hiccup meds, too. Can't someone just jump out from behind a curtain and scare the bejeezus out of you ever 30 minutes? Or maybe your anti-anxiety/sleeping pills render you unscareable! Ah well--hope your stay is uneventful but a rousing success!

Becky said...

Nancy,
Thanks to Cheryl Lande for sending me your blog information. It's been about a hundred years since I've seen or talked to you and you still have the same sharp wit and sarcasm. It's fabulous to know that some things don't change! My thoughts and prayers are with you. Be well and I hope you get fruit soon. Here's to a good new year! Shanah Tovah!

Becky Guttstein

Kathy from NJ said...

My husband (who does not speak and probably doesn't understand speech) gets the hiccups every day. He has four (never three, never five, always four) VERY LOUD hiccups, then he's done till the next day.

At his brother-in-law's funeral service the minister asked us to take a moment and remember Wayne as he was when he was healthy. We all bowed our heads in silence when there was a huge H I C - then 3 more.

josh williams said...

I have a friend who has a used autoclave, maybe if we put your fresh fruit in this contraption it could be judged safe.
Now comes the first presidntial debates, this should cheer you up...My best JW

Mac said...

I had no idea anti-hic meds existed either. Who knew?