chemo schmemo and other tales of the trade.

Last week Martha had an adverse reaction to the carboplatin for the first time. She was on the drip for about 5 minutes before becoming "hypersensitive" to the acute toxicity and felt very strange all over her body. They removed the drip and will try again next Wed. with more anti -nausea medication.

The hospital staff has continued to be surprised of Martha's SUPPORT TEAM- they notice a different person with her at most visits!

*sidenote*
Martha goes to the hospital now instead of her Oncology office for insurance reasons. Another post on the ridiculousness of some insurance companies will make its way onto this blog at some point.

Thanks to Nana, Judy D and Martha's godson Christian, & Gail P. for helping out with Martha's frequent trips. (it gives Andy a break!)

She goes in FIVE days a week for either:

- Chemo
- Complete Blood Cell (CBC) Count
- Neupogen: stimulates bone marrow to make more white blood cells
- Doctor's appointment

This doesn't include the weekly trips to the Pharmacy to fill prescriptions. In the last week, Martha and Andy had to go to five different pharmacies to try and fill her painkiller. Nobody had it and nobody will fill it, because now they "have to have it" on hand to fill.

--> insert frustrating face here <--

On a more positive note, Martha has been feeling GREAT lately. They finally figured out a pain med. regiment that WORKS and because of it, she is able to take daily walks around the block (in the morning before the Florida sun gets too hot)! Also, Martha is very pleased that her hair continues to grow back in :)