One Down...

Just a quick post before I hit the sack. James went through his first BIG round of chemo today with flying colors. We are so thankful that (most) everything went well. We were in the "infusion room" for a good 7 hours today, and got to know James's nurse pretty well by the end of the day (along with the cheery septuagenarian who "fought" James for bathroom visits). James enjoyed passing the time with one of our new friends, a pastor at church and former missionary to India. 

James was first prepped with pre-meds which include anti-nausea meds as well as a diuretic (the idea being that if we flush the kidneys with enough fluids, we won't experience renal failure while killing cancer). He then went on to receive liter upon liter of fluid & chemo. The nurse did comment on how great his port is working - yeah! Will be a big deal as he continues treatment as chemo is really harsh (understatement) on your veins. 

Lest you feel too sorry for him, when the nurse told us that he could have lunch brought in, his dear wife went and got him a steak dinner to enjoy while he sat in his recliner, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I did feel a twinge of guilt mixed with awkwardness though - I figure everyone else was either made ill by the sight and smell of his lunch, or...those further down the road were all thinking, "you newbie suckers! You will live to regret THAT choice." Fortunately for James, the steak has stayed down. No regrets.

Toward the end of the day, James did start to feel nauseous, which is not (yet) a side effect of chemo, but rather the side effect of the gallons of fluid in his system. He got really pale (perhaps only loved ones can recognize "pale" on an Asian) and nearly passed out. His vitals were checked a few times, he was given time to rest, and then was wheeled out of the hospital, too unstable to walk. After more rest at home, he bounced back to more of his normal self, calling home to give an update and then walking for about an hour. He has already been asleep for a few hours tonight...just in time to wake up and do this again tomorrow. 

Tomorrow will be -should be - much simpler as James will only get 2 hours of chemo. Far less fluids are needed tomorrow, so it should be a relatively "easy" day. Of course, I don't know how he'll wake up feeling in the morning which would influence how "easy" it is. He also has his first radiology appointment tomorrow.

As you pray for us, continue to pray for my family who are providing child care, meals, and support on a daily basis. While James was getting treatment today, family member A got a flat tire while visiting at the hospital, family member B came to fix said tire, while C stopped watching our kids to pick up the two first graders, meaning family member D quit work early to watch the other 3 kiddos. I can see that without prayer, this whole situation can quickly spiral into a level of insanity we aren't accustomed to. I can also say a genuine shout out to those providing meals - it is a ministry, for which we are truly grateful. Thank you all!

Lots of love & goodnight. 

~kristen