The Week Ahead

I am sitting here relaxing on a quiet Sunday afternoon,  trying to gear myself up for the week ahead.  Tomorrow I will be getting a port. 

 This is an outpatient surgery where they place a plastic valve under the skin right below my collar bone.  Then a catheter is threaded to one of the big veins in my neck and down near my heart. 

 This will then be used for all blood draws and infusions. 

 My first round of chemo plus the subsequent hospital stay taught me that I evidently do not have IV-friendly veins.

  So I am excited to get my port and hope that the multiple bruises up and down both arms will be a thing of the past.

Then on Thursday, I get to celebrate Valentine's Day sitting in a chemo chair with my sweetheart by my side. 

 I guess we have done enough romantic dinners on Valentine's Day, and we just wanted to shake things up a bit and do something different! 

 He will get off easy because I won't feel like chocolate by the time we are done.

The actual chemo infusion isn't too bad. 

 I like to liken it to a nap spa. 

 They sit you in a big comfy leather recliner, ply you with beverages and warm blankets, then start things out with a mega dose of benadryl in your IV. 

 They claim it is to ward off any allergic reactions to the chemo drugs, but I say they do it to calm people down and let you sleep so you don't freak out about the fact that poison is dripping into your veins!

  While you are delightfully warm and dozy, little ladies push around carts of baked goods, 

music therapists come and sing with guitars, 

and if you can stay awake, they even serve you a lovely lunch.  

Of course in the week following your trip to the spa, you pay the price for all that luxury, but I suppose it is a price I am willing to pay.

I will leave you with a picture  from this weekend. 

 On Friday night, Blair took Lydia and Alli to the Father/Daughter Valentine's dance at the elementary school. 

 This is the last one that Lydia will attend, which makes me sad. 

 They had a wonderful time although apparently Dad got ditched a time or two so that the girls could go dance with their friends.

They did however win the drawing for a GIGANTIC Valentine teddy bear. 

 They named it Chemo Bear and gave it to me when they got home. 

With that kind of support I guess Chemo Bear and I are ready for the week.