My new favorite hospital bracelet.
Monday I got my port inserted into my chest. Everything went smoothly, I was awake but sedated for the whole procedure and all I could really tell was someone was pulling some very waxy floss through my skin. If you've run your fingers across some waxed thread you'll understand this part. No pain, just some tenderness where they had to tunnel some things under my skin and put a catheter into my vein. I watched a video of someone else's procedure after and it made total sense to me what I remembered feeling during my own process. It's gross.
I've been pretty lucky so far with my radiation treatments, and honestly probably still pretty lucky today with the IV treatment. It has only been one day since my first IV treatment and here are the (rotten) fruits of that labor.
- Neuropathy: Pins and fucking needles in my finger tips. When this occurs I am unable to use my fingers for anything more than pocket warmers. Good luck trying to type. Yesterday it lasted about fourty-five minutes for the first one and twenty-five minutes for the second.
- Cold sensitivity in hands and feet: I can't touch things that are colder than my body temperature without it feeling like I might be burning myself. I'll be constantly shoed and gloved around the house for a while.
- Cold sensitivity in mouth: Imagine chewing on some really good peppermint or spearmint gum and then drinking a sip of some really cold water. Then imagine the extreme cold sensation you feel if you drink water right after. I can't go outside in this winter without a mask. (Thanks COVID for preparing me for this.)
- Spiders crawling across my face: This isn't some fantastical, haha, I'm in a Moony phase where I say something ridiculous for giggles. It genuinely feels like something is crawling from my nose and down my upper lip which then splits off into opposite directions along my face and stops at my jaw. Like eight or ten spiders just moseying along for a picnic, whistling the Disney dwarves song.
- Muscle twitching: Hands cramping, forearms sore, calves cramping and sore. It's fine so far, just annoying.
- Nausea: It comes and goes and is pretty benign so far.
- Sweating: It's fine, I'm just a little damp.
- Fatigue: Put me to bed, please.
Some of these things have returned for day two, but luckily at a lesser intensity.
I'm fine and I have some wonderful support, but it's going to be hard, I can tell.
Cat tax!
