Okay, calm my nerves. I am a little nervous about tomorrow

[greenbriar]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=9179579&mesg_id=9179579




I know I have had one round, but I already had the IV stick in me when they started and I was almost comatose when they did that


Tomorrow, I have to walk into a place and let them try to find a vein that is not screwed up with phlebitis from my hospital stay with 6 IV sticks and then pray they stick it first time


then sit for 3 hours while chemicals drip through my veins and destroy my immune system to make me better.


it is a freaky thing!

[Odin2005]

1. (((HUGS)))

[abq e streeter]

2. Understandable to be nervous--and I don't know what I can do to calm your nerves

but I'm hoping and praying that your doctors will be able to do what's necessary to heal your body, and that you find the inner strength to deal with it all. All my best to you Greenbriar.

[goldcanyonaz]

3. Greenbriar, You will be in my thoughts and prayers throughout the day tomorrow.

Sorry, I have no other words.

:hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear greenbriar...

Peaceful thoughts and gentle hugs for you tomorrow, and always...

I hope all will go well, and you will feel better.

If they put a little hot pack over the best vein, that will help it be more visible. Wear warm clothing too...if you're cold, that will shrink the veins.

Don't go in thirsty either. If you're dehydrated, that too will cause the veins to shrink...

I hold you in my thoughts!

:hug:

[phasma ex machina]

5. Prayers offered up on your behalf. nt

[kimi]

6. Natural to be concerned about it all

and I agree with CaliforniaPeggy - make sure to have lots of water and fluids on board to help with the search for veins. In some large hospitals, there are IV teams whose entire purpose is to start IVs on patients with compromised veins, so if possible maybe you could request that. Or, many anesthetists are very good at starting difficult IVs. Best of luck with that, and I'll be thinking of you tomorrow as well.

[greenbriar]

7. Thanks all

I plan on taking a blanket, a book and my IPOD

heck, I have papers still to grade...maybe I should do that!

[Fire1]

9. Yeah, think about grading those papers, lesson plans, etc.

THAT'LL take your mind off of ANYTHING!!! Wishing you all the best. One colleague to another.:fistbump:

[Lars39]

8. You could ask them for some xanax or something to help.

I hope all goes well for you, greenbriar. :hug:

[salin]

10. ((hugs))

may the process pay off with end results that bring much brighter/easier tomorrows.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Does listening to music on headphones calm you at all? *hugs*

[greenbriar]

12. I hope so

my IPOD is ready to go

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. *crosses fingers*

[JohnnyLib2]

13. And people pay to watch vampire movies.......

best wishes for strength and for a speedy stick. My wife tried to visualize little Pac-men fighting off the bad stuff, during chemo years ago. Will watch for the after-report.
:hug:

[Demoiselle]

14. All the best for tomorrow, Greenbriar.

You're prepared. You've got your blanket, your book, your Ipod...and it's clear from this thread that your friends will be with you too.

[jmc]

16. A serious, but ignorant proposal...

Can you take xanax in your current condition. I can't imagine the anxiety and dread. If you can, consider it. If not, make sure to have Pink Floyd on your Ipod. Hell, even Enya, anything to put you in an emotional coma. Best wishes from all of us.

[greenbriar]

17. I don't know if I can or not. I thought about asking my doc for some prescrip sleep aid

so that the pain doesn't wake me at 2 and 4 AM

[jmc]

19. Do talk to your doctor about it.

I use Xanax for anxiety, and if you could take it a bit before the procedure, it could help you as much as it does for so many hundreds of thousands of people. As for the sleeping, I wouldn't count on Xanax for that. It is a tranquilizer, but that only goes so far. I get cluster headaches and they wake me up right through the Xanax. Consider the Xanax for the anxiety if your doc will allow it, and talk to them about a sleep aid that will get you through the night.
Good luck, and I hope that all goes well for the sleep and what must be horrible anxiety right now.

[UrbScotty]

18. Need a laugh?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/22/817239/-Who-needs-a-laugh

[greenbriar]

20. bwahaha too funny

poor doggie

[greenbriar]

21. okay I can not sleep

grr

[greenbriar]

22. When I was in the hospital for the first round, they gave me a couple different things

before the chemo

to prevent any reactions and something to calm me. I wonder if they will do this again or not since I had no reactions the first time.

This is all new to me and very nerve inducing.


I just keep thinking by this time tomorrow, it will be done for 4 weeks, then after that it will be every 8 weeks.

I don't know if that will be all the time or for the year. I guess it depends on how I respond to treatment.