My Cancer Center is 30 minutes away, and usually I give myself extra time, just in case. These days, with my state's stay-at-home advisory, there's no traffic to worry about. I still arrived a bit early, but I decided to stay in my car until just before my appointment time of 9:30, to minimize my time in the building. Standing outside the automatic doors, I could see someone at the reception desk already, so I waited until he was finished before going in.
I got a surgical mask, checked in, and was directed to go straight upstairs, again bypassing my usual appointment with the port nurse. I think this time it was to minimize person-to-person interactions. I sat in the waiting area for a few minutes before being called in.
As usual, the medical assistant took my vitals. I was happy to see my weight holding steady. I have to say, watching my weight go up has been one more unhappy part of this cancer journey. I'm much more conscious of what I eat, and I'm exercising more than before, but I guess medications and hormones matter more. Either because of the hormone therapy itself, or because of the menopause resulting from hormone therapy, not only have I gained weight, but the fat has unflatteringly been redistributed around my belly, which of course is only exaggerated by my flat chest. Bah. I never really thought of myself as vain before, but I guess I was just comfortable in my old body; now that I'm not so comfortable with my hair and chest and belly, I'm way more self-conscious than before.
Anyway, my "new" nurse came in as soon as I got settled in my bay. I appreciated a lot that she spent quite a bit of time talking with me about how I'm feeling, both emotionally and in regards to my numb and tingly and puffy hands.
She accessed my port and, interestingly, she put on a gown for the process. This was new. She said it's just one of the many new protocols that are in place because of the coronavirus.
I started Herceptin around 10:30, and finished a little after 11:00. I used the bathroom to wash my hands just before leaving the building. Today's visit was pretty efficient, less than 2 hours.
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