Chemo: Round 2, part I

Chemo second time around isn't nearly so daunting. I was more concerned about prepping myself the day and evening before than I was about the visit itself. And yet, as in any marathon, nothing is ever the same so I was in for a little surprise. But once again I get ahead of myself. Let's back up a couple of days and fill in the blanks.
This part was supposed to be a blog a couple of days ago but I never got around to it. So let's pretend it is Tuesday and I am just finishing up the day.
I have just two things to say. 1) Best laid plans of mice and men..... and 2) Never a dull moment.
I had planned on going in to have my blood drawn on Monday so that there would be plenty of time if I needed to go back because of any problems. But a friend suggested that the longer I put it off, the better my readings would be so I should wait until Tuesday. Okay, that made sense to me and still does. But I didn't want to be caught in all the parking traffic on Tuesday afternoon at Kaiser so I decided to make an early day of it and go in right when the lab opened at 7. I figured I'd be in and out in a matter of moments. Lo and behold, the parking deck was full up to the third floor already and when I pulled my number at the lab check in I was number 16 at 7:05! So I waited a good 20 minutes before I even registered. No matter. It was fine. I read my latest mystery/thriller. Daniel Silva is the author and if you like European mystery/thrillers you might like to give him a try. Read the ones with Gabriel Allon as the protagonist. Anyway, I finally got to register and then had to wait to be called. Maybe another 10 minutes. The draw took just a few moments. And she wasn't an intern so it was painless. By the time I got home at 9 the results were already being posted. Shoot! I forgot to tell them I am a clumper. My platelets clumped. I figured I would probably have to go back and do the draw again. Darn! So I sent an email to my oncologist asking if I should go back. Got an autoresponse that she isn't in. Double darn. I tried calling the clinical trials nurse. She was out until heaven knows when but left an alternate number. I called it and I got voice mail. I tried another alternate number and again got voice mail. But this person did call back after an hour or so and looked at the test results and said it was okay. I probably didn't need to go back. Little did I realize she was looking at the wrong test. Because later on in the early afternoon my oncologist, who was not working that day but obviously was checking her emails, sent me an email to please go back and ask them to draw my blood into a citrate media tube. So I printed out the email, printed out the test results and scurried down to Kaiser again. Sigh. Now the parking garage was full to the top. Fifth floor. I found a space and walked on over to the lab in the basement. It was just past 2 p.m. There is no one waiting! I grabbed a ticket and it was the next number to be called. I explained the problem and registered and before I got settled to wait, my number was again called and I got to the draw station. And then I get it. Everyone but me has figured out that the interns work in the afternoon so any one who has a choice chooses not to be drawn then. I explained my problem and she understood citrate but not media tube. Funny, because I understood what media tube probably meant but didn't know about the citrate too much but maybe it is some kind of acidic media that prevents clumping? So I told her I am a clumper and that there is a special tube she has to draw the blood into. She referred to her supervisor and called me a clumper. The supervisor lowered her voice and said that I shouldn't be referred to as a clumper, it doesn't sound nice. I insinuated myself into the conversation and explained that I called myself a clumper and that is what I am so why say anything else? I said this with a smile and a chuckled and so everyone was happy. The supervisor explained to the intern that she will need to use a lavender vial and another colored one (maybe it was blue?). Now I was nervous because this intern was probably straight out of the classroom and my poor arm is beginning to look like a junkie's arm. But I tried to relax and she stuck the needle in after many pats on the crook of my arm. Now it is my turn to apologize. She did a lovely job. I barely felt it and I have next to no bruise. It was just fine. I told her she was a good sticker and she seemed pleased. I toddle on home and do all the things that I needed to do to prepare for my visit to the chemo room the next day. Hydrating like crazy, taking a stool softener, drinking my fiber filled smoothie a little later than normal. Taking my decadron which prevents a good night's sleep. I am prepared. (to be continued in part 2)