Apparently a vacation four days after chemo is ill
advised. However, it is great way to spend some time at the Kaiser ER in
San Diego. If that place isn’t in the travel guides, it really should
be.
I'm
awakened at 6:00 am to the harshest pain I’ve ever experienced in my
life the day we’re headed to the beach and a baseball game. Okay, worst pain ever might be a slight exaggeration but
I’ve been with Tiff for the past week so all I know is embellishment – she’s
rubbed off on me. I couldn’t lie down, I couldn’t sit up, I couldn’t do
anything. I was overcome by sharp, driving
pains in my abdomen. I literally cried out every time one shot through my
midsection. It was awful.
I called my oncologist’s office. I explained to a nurse what is going on and after finding my oncologist she
says, “You should go to the emergency room.” I'm astonished.
She retorts, “You sound surprised.” Uhh,
yeah I’m surprised! I’m on
vacation, I don't want to spend any of it in a hospital, and I don’t want to pay for a trip to the ER. I decide to see if the pain worsens and if it does, go to
the ER. I also call Rene, nurse extraordinaire from my Interventional
Radiologist’s office and leave a voicemail.
My pain meds have some adverse side effects so I avoid
them. In my fifth hour of "toughing it out," Tiff and I are
bikini-clad and headed to the beach. I cave and take a pain pill to make
it through the rest of our fun-filled day. We’re mere moments from the
beach, sand in sight, and I feel too awful to continue. Tiff flips a
U-turn and we're headed to the ER.
When in the ER with cancer, you get one of those blue,
surgical masks to wear. So as I sit in
the ER, still wearing my swimming suit (plus cute cover-up... I wasn't 95% nude
in the waiting room), looking like someone from the SARS epidemic that
never happened, Rene calls back. She informs me these pains are to
be expected and I will have them for up to a year. Ah, yes, sounds
great. So, should we leave? No, stay and be sure everything is
okay. Alright.
My name is finally called, I'm taken back into the abyss,
blood is drawn, and I'm placed in a bed. I'm given an IV and some more of
my pain medication intravenously. It makes me feel icky and I don't
like it but the pain ebbs. I receive my 90th CT scan of the past 4 months. Minutes or hours pass, I'm too drugged to understand time. Around
8pm I'm of the philosophy I'll stay in this hospital room
forever, continue to receive pain meds and live a happy life in the San Diego
Kaiser. The doctor returns to report the
pain I’m experiencing is from the tumors emobilizing or breaking down. The chemo is working. (The next person who
says, "That's great!" is getting punched in the face. Not really but you get my point. I'll agree that it is in fact good news, but
the pain these dissolving tumors are causing me is otherworldly.) We are to pick up a prescription for Percocet at the pharmacy before we leave and I'm going to get some intravenous morphine before they discharge me. I
think these are greatest the things I've heard in my life, shake his hand,
and smile as he leaves me forever. I wonder as the nurse enters shortly there after and takes out my IV but about but I just let it happen. He returns
with some paperswork apologizes, "The doctor ordered some morphine but I
didn't see it. Sorry, I took out your IV too soon." No morphine for
me. Sad face.
As Tiff wheels me down the hall towards the pharmacy, I'm feeling terribly ill. The pain meds are making me nauseas and
incredibly dizzy. When we finally arrive at the car, it's dark outside. I ask Tiff where the time went. Upon arriving at the hotel, I
notice the Percocet bottle reads: contains acetaminophen. I'm not
allowed acetaminophen because it metabolizes in the liver
and clearly my liver is already in distress. My trip to the
ER yielded these results: pain meds that made me
sicker.... a pain script I can't take.... another bill…. an entire day of
my vacation wasted. Double sad face.
Lesson learned from my mistakes: don't travel
immediately after chemo. Who knew? Guess this blonde didn't get the
memo. All was not lost in the end. We still went to the beach and a
Padres game, just 24 hours late. Then we drove to Vegas to say with our third sister, Jenn. Day after ER=success!
This post is dedicated to my sister, Tiffany. Best Sherpa Ever. Thank you will never be enough for hauling around my luggage, taking care of me, and generally ignoring how crazy I am. Also, for putting up with cancer-hieghtened OCD for an AMAZING trip. I love you more than you'll ever know.
Read it .... No wonder you and Todd get along so well!
ReplyDeleteIt is good to get the facts straight from the source -grateful to be able to keep up on what is going on with you. Love to you and your fam. <3
Lynne
Lins I have to say, and I know I already told you, but I LOVE your blog. You are truly an inspiration to me, and I'm sure all your other friends as well! Plus... backtrack to previous said blog... I do know...I mean No :) haha (insert reference to our text convo the other night) what "chemo brain" is due to my fancy shcmancy new job handling long term disabiliy claims. I know, I know, it's a super exciting job and you're probably really jealous. :) And although I hate to read about you experiencing pain and all that awfulness, I am glad those nasty tumors are getting the business! You are one tough broad my friend :) SSW!!!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Noodle
Its look like you are doing so much of R&D for these blog, I really appreciate you very much.
ReplyDeletetoddler costume