Time for some pix!

My bananaphone bag... Yes, it's a fanny pack - but look how cool I made it. Haha, yes - you heard me right. I said cool. hahaha. I'm soooo funny! Don't bother telling me how crooked my flower is, I'm gonna pretend it's just perfect ;o)

Me & my Godson Adrian at Hibachi Grill - celebrating his continuation, which I didn't get to go to 'cause I was supposed to be getting chemo (2nd try).
Alejandro and Jayda at his graduation party.

Me, Jayda and Nikkita at Alejandro's Graduation Party

Me, Mateo and Karen at a Potluck for Mateo's last day of pre-school! (Two days after chemo, looking good - not)

Darren and Mondo - out for Pho.

And Eric too....

Aubreyana and Mondo at the BBQ

Jayda Marie at the Memorial Day BBQ

John & Lisa at the BBQ too...

Chemotherapy - Session I

Guess what. I am done with my first chemo treatment! 1 down. 11 to go.


My appointment with Dr Azar was at 9:30. I didn't get in to see her until 10:30. Didn't really talk about anything. Just checked my central line and asked if I needed pain meds. Darren went with us and she told him, "No one calls me Doctor, just Azar." I don't know how long it will take me to get used to that though.

Next, went over to the chemo wing... I can say that 'cause it really is a whole wing on the 12th floor with an awesome view of the city. Met my nurse - Stephanie who gave me some pre-chemo meds (8 pills!) and eventually got my chemo hooked up. I guess it takes a while 'cause the pharmacist mixes it right there at the time of the appointment. But the drip actually only took about 2 1/2 hours.

Then, the pharmacist came over and explained my take home meds (pills) and the pump that I will wear for the next 48 hours. I am stylin' with my new fanny pack! I think everyone should have one and wear them whenever we are together. Wait till I put the sequins on it... I think this calls for an extra special craft night.

And then the nurse came back, unhooked the IV meds, hooked up my pump (see Note Below) and changed my bandage. My dad picked up my scripts for me or we might have had to wait a bit longer. Anyway, afterwards, I was hungry so we (me, mom & Sheila) stopped at McD's for a bite. So after about 6 hours total, here I am.

I don't feel too bad. A bit hot, and a bit of a headache... And now, starting to feel tired. I am told the side effects will get worse as time goes by so I am drinking an Iced Coke right now! Yay! It does feel a bit weird in my throat, kinda tingly and a bit hard to swallow (but that might just be allergies too :o) - anyway, I will deal with it as long as I can take it :o)


Note Below:
When I was first told about "the pump", I was told it was about the size of a banana. But we joked about not knowing what size of banana. Nevertheless, I decided I would affectionately call it my bananaphone. So anyway, today I got my bananaphone and it doesn't look like a banana at all. Sheila said out loud, what we were all thinking - "it looks like a condom inside a baby bottle". And that my friends, is exactly what it looks like!

A few pics...

I mentioned a piece of surgery garb - an aluminum looking puffy hat, that looks like one of those popcorn tins that open up real big when you heat it over the stove - in the post titled The Big Day - Part I. This is a picture Jazzy modeling it off. Sexy! I also brought home the matching blanket.

After my surgery, when I was in recovery, they brought me a bunch of warm sheets because I was freezing. They wrapped one around my head and I fell asleep zoning in and out while I was waiting for results. All the nurses could see were my eyes. This is what I looked like when Mondo walked in. *cheeeese* brrrrrr.....

This is the nurse that taught me how to take care of my central line. She was my first intake nurse in oncology, but I don't remember her name. Paula maybe? I'm sure I will know all their names before long though...


Darren had Field Day for West Denver Prep on Friday. Me and my mom got to go for a bit and watched him participate in a couple events, including one that he got a first place ribbon for - a crazy relay race. It looked like the students had lots of fun.

Allright already - Part III

Well, I guess this is gonna take longer than I originally had thought. Better call mom. I get ahold of them in time to tell Darren goodbye and to have a great time on his Winter Camp trip. Mondo is taking his Junior High Youth Group up to the Young Life Retreat, which he says is just an awesome place. Mom and dad say they will pick up some stuff for me at the house and then come bye. I want them to come and take my car home too since I don't want to pay for parking for three days :o)

By this time I have also called Mario and Karen and a few others. Not gonna make it to dinner Sue. (Later, after I am released from the hospital, I find out that I didn't tell nearly enough. oops). Yeah, actually while I was waiting in my ER exam room I took a camera pic of myself and sent it to Mondo & Lisa with the caption "Guess where I'm at". Sometimes I think I'm so funny.

I had even text Sammi the picture and telling her, "1 of my dr's is Hot! Nice eyes!" She called me back right away and was ready to come over right then (I think it was after 10pm) but I told her I would be out soon and I was okay. I was just texting 'cause I thought she would appreciate the "hot doctor" comment. My small group talks about setting me up quite often and I said "Man, we would be perfect or each other, I mean, if I can talk to him about my large intestine, specifically about my colon, I can talk to him about anything (dreamily)." Hahaha! I am funny.

The hospital stay lasted from Friday through Sunday. Mario & Karen visited a few times, and brought the kids too. That was awesome. And John & Lisa & the boys came with a gift which was a framed photograph from my baptism. I placed it on my table and it brought lots of people to look at it - and I don't mean just glance, they squinted their eyes and stared like they were trying to figure out one of those pictures that you have to go cross-eyed for it to come into focus. It's a photo from my baptism. Yes, that's a hot tub.

The only bad thing was that I had some problems with my IV's. One of them got infiltrated? I think that's what the nurse said happened. They stopped it and changed it right away. And then one of the others burnt alot, ALOT - when a certain kind of medication was being administered. That was about the worst of it. Mario asked what it felt like. It feels like I have a gash in my hand and someone is pulling it open and it feel like my skin is being separated from my flesh underneath. Hahaha! You should have seen the look on his face. He said "I thought you were going to say it burns or something like that, but geez Tom!". Thank goodness for Nurse Roxi. When she came onto shift, she told me that I wasn't out of my mind and slowed the drip down so that it was bearable.

When I went in that morning, it was supposed to get to 70 degrees. I had on capris and sandals. When I left on Sunday evening, it had snowed all morning (a wicked snowstorm) and I wore my slippers into Walgreens where we stopped to pick up some over the counter stuff. I love Colorado.

Next step. Dr Vaughn's office will call you to schedule an appointment.