Awww, The smell of cancer and chemo in the morning

Awww, the smell of cancer and chemotherapy in the morning.

I am back where the fight all started, in the infusion suite at Norris Cancer Center.

There is a feeling of homecoming, a definite feeling of comfort alongside being treated here. I am so happy, so relieved, to be receiving treatment close to home. This frees up so much of my time and energy to enjoy life. It 

 me of so much stress. I haven't felt relief in so long.

I have been running, running, running, on a baseline anxiety trying to coordinate just my healthcare. Talk about stress. But now that's over. I am in treatment. I can relax. I am now being taken care of. I am in good hands.

And those hands started loading me up early this morning. I had 8 am labs and an 8:30 meeting with a portion of my lymphoma dream team, the two that are currently in control of my care; and therefore, my life, Dr. G and Anna. 
We went over the whole regimen, vinorelbine push first then 30 min of infusion of gemzar and last but not least is doxil which will take 30 min to an hour to infuse. If you do the math this could calculate to my release from infusion by noon, but we are on hospital time. 
This time takes into account hospital variables such as the pharmacy, how long it takes to receive the order and mix it properly then get it to infusion only to find two RNs to verify the drug before it goes into my veins.
 This stuff is dangerous so there are a lot of checks and balances. Each chemo has specific side effects to be aware of.
None of these side effects include losing my hair. I may have to change the name to hairy's blog if I keep the steroids and the chemo doesn't get my hair. I am receiving an anti-nausea med upfront (Amend?) to take over three days to prevent nausea. I still have my trusty ativan if I need it. 
Dr G prescribed some allopurinol to save my kidneys from what could happen with quick tumor lysis. I am hoping my tumors die down quickly. I want eeky, creepy, and joe (my tumors) gone and aborted quickly. This round stomach is not as easy to deal with as the one I had with x in it. 
At least with that one I knew I had a big reward at the end. I know with this I will have a big reward too. Who thinks I am going to be healed for christmas?! Everybody raise your hands and scream "I do! I do!". 
I think I did feel "Eeky" die a sudden, startling death with the start of the doxil. 
I had a very scary reaction when this drug was started. Suddenly, I started to hallucinate. I couldn't breathe. My hands looked red. Then, worst of all, my back started to hurt, and hurt like nothing has ever hurt before.
Contractions had nothing on this pain. It Felt like my back had turned to bone (ossified) and I was stuck, writhing in pain against where it wanted to stand.
Anna decided this wasn't a typical allergic reaction, and the back pain, caused by kidneys that were being worked too hard, was caused by eeky's death.
One down, two more to go.
I was still scared to death (just being punny here, people, nobody is thinking about death) and didn't want to take anymore without benadryl. 
So benadryl I received and slept over 18 hours.
Here is a great way to sign off, I slept with the confidence that I will be joining President Barack Obama tomorrow at a health care town hall in Portsmouth! My name got drawn in the lottery and I can't wait for the opportunity to ask him a question. Cross those fingers that he picks me.