Chemotherapy + Immunotherapy Round 1 - CHECK!

Got to the hospital at 9.20am, took a blood test, waited for the results, saw the doctor at 12.30pm, got called into the onco IV room at 1.30pm, and finally started my IV cocktail at 1.40pm. It's really no kidding how many drugs they pump us with.

Looks like it's a lot of syringes and opened vials, right? Well, that's not even the real deal yet. That's just my pre-chemo cocktail. 😅🤪 They help ensure that my body doesn't react too much to the drugs they will later pump me with.

Chong – the very nice nurse who kickstarted my chemo journey.

This is what I was given

(and am going to be getting)

over the next few months:

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CHEMOTHERAPY + IMMUNOTHERAPY ROUND 1
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#1: SALINE FLUSH

#2: 1 x Anti-Nausea IV

#3: SALINE FLUSH

#4: 1 x Anti-Histamine IV

Actually I dunno what the specifics meds were in this

kidney bowl (cos there were so many!) but when I asked,

they told me it was for anti-nausea and anti-histamine.

#5: SALINE FLUSH

#6: 1 x HERCEPTIN IV (over 3 hours – this one got my body feeling a bit wonky; like I had a frog in my throat 🐸 and I had a bit of trouble breathing/swallowing on and off but the feeling didn't last too long)

#7: SALINE FLUSH

#8: 1 x PIRITON IV (this one instantly made me sleepy! 😴)

#9: SALINE FLUSH

#10: 1 x HYDROCORTISONE IV

#11: SALINE FLUSH

#12: 1 x ZOLADEX SC (straight into my tummy fats – ouch!)

#13: 1 x TAXOTERE IV (1.5 hours)

#14: SALINE FLUSH

After this, they transferred me to a room.

Everything took so long that the onco IV station had closed and I was told to be day-warded to finish up my second dose of chemo. Spend extra money for nothing. Bleh. But I'm quite thankful for the bed lah. Cos I was put in a sit-up chair earlier. Sit still from 1.30pm to 8.30pm without any moving around except to pee – totally back-breaking! 

#15: 1 x CARBOPLATIN (1.5 hours)

Counting down the clock so I can go home!

Backflow.

My room was the furthest from the nursing station so it takes them a LOOOONG time to get to me each time I ring the bell to notify them of anything. 😒

#16: Final SALINE FLUSH (30 minutes – so excited but actually kena tipu; thought can go home already after Carboplatin 😅)

I finally completed everything at 10.42pm. Phew!

10.42pm.

9 hours of IV – done, at last. Total hours in the hospital? 11 and a half. Siao liao. My only silver lining in all this is that apparently, it's only so long-drawn because it was my first time. They had to keep me safe and monitor me for reactions. Next time, they tell me they'll speed it up a bit. So hopefully, next round will be quicker lah.

Anyhoo... Chemotherapy + Immunotherapy Round 1 – kautim! 💪💪💪 5 more times to go. 💤 But must really remember my earphones next time lah. Remembered my iPad Mini but forgot the earphones. Apalah. Bodoh max. 🤦🏻‍♀️