11/1/19: Chemo Cycle #5 of 12 + Lupron + (10 Weeks Post-DMX) Physical Therapy Appointment #6

Today another friend drove me to my treatment. We have a lot of shared interests, so there was plenty to talk about! Again, it was a really pleasant way to pass the time, catching up with a friend. Just so funny that it's chemo that helped enable it.

My appointment was earlier than usual, so we budgeted extra time for traffic. The drive did take longer than usual, but we still arrived early. My port nurse called me in early at 9:00, but then we had a bit of a wait in the infusion room. 

After getting my vitals measured, we were shown to a bay around 9:30, the time of my appointment. My usual nurse, with whom I had the appointment, was out, so I had a different infusion nurse for the first time. 

I asked if there are any objective means to determine when I'm able to drive myself to treatments? Or if it's just a matter of me "feeling" like I can do it? She basically said it depends on whether or not I am still experiencing any side effects of Benadryl by the time I go home. I mentioned the weak arms I get after taking the pre-med pills. I think they're fine after a couple hours, but I'll pay more attention over the next couple weeks, when Ken will be driving me. I'll try to imagine if I would be okay driving myself. And I'll ask my usual nurse this question, too, to get her opinion.

I also told the nurse about my hair falling out. My friend said she couldn't tell my hair had thinned, so that was reassuring. The nurse gave me some suggestions on how to manage hair loss (e.g., put a towel on my pillow to help collect hairs that fall out while sleeping, consider cutting my hair short), and then also reminded me that it's entirely up to me to do what feels best for me. She had a gentle, compassionate way about her, and she ended her sentences with a friendly, supportive (not sympathetic) smile, and an occasional pat on my arm. 

I started my pre-meds around 10:00, same regimen as before.

At 10:30, while I was still getting the Pepcid via my port, my physical therapist came in, and my friend returned to the waiting area. The physical therapist worked on my cording, and said she felt a few "snap". She seems to think the cording may subside in a few weeks. 

I told her I hadn't really done much massaging of my scar tissue, as she instructed, because it feels weird. She said there's no rush to do that massaging now, I can wait until it's healed some more. She mentioned that if I wanted, I could pick up physical therapy again after chemo ends, and she could work on the scar tissue for me, and help me with stretching my chest muscles even more, beyond range of motion exercises. 

About 10:50, during my physical therapy, the infusion nurse came in and started my Herceptin.

Started Taxol at 11:30, and started to wonder if we'd get our lunches before I was finished. I have to say, I really enjoy their chocolate chip cookies! 

We did get our lunches, and my friend was able to eat hers when she stepped out to the waiting area again while I got my Lupron shot. That was around 12:45, and we packed up and left just before 1:00. I carried my lunch out and ate it at home.

Today's visit was about 4 hours, not including driving time.