Wednesday, July 13, 2011

How many people truly know that they are difficult to the bone?...this lady right here!

i had an amazing weekend with friends, lots of laughs and talking and more laughs! coming home to reality, to know the next day was going to be another test of strength was hard. i pulled up to the hospital and got out of my car and went in with smiles and a good attitude but inside i dragging my feet across the parking lot and clinging to the door frames not to walk in. today was the day of my bone marrow biopsy (bmb) and 2nd round of chemo. i had done very little research on a bmb but from what i did see and hear from others is that is would be one of the painful procedures through out this whole ordeal.
i was called back for lab work to make sure that i was healthy enough for this next run of chemo and after that i was prepped for my bmb. as i was explained how the procedure would go down i got all choked up and teary eyed but talked myself down from letting just one of those tears touch my cheek (if i cried again, in front of my dr and nurses they would probably want to check me in to psych ward and give me a pretty white jacket that gave me hugs all day). i laid on my side and waited and waited with my back to the door the dr came in and moved the blanket that layed over my hip and told me he was going to start. i warned him that i was a sissy when it cam to pain and assured me i would be fine. he started by giving me a shot of numbing medicine (like novocaine) for the skin. then he went back in and poked my bone to numb that. i flinched in pain and said ouch! he laughed and said that i was a sissy! it lightened the mood alittle but still the worst was yet to come. he made a very small incision and inserted a fat needle with a hand like crank on it and proceeded to drill into my bone then he insert a thinner needle inside of that and said that i had to count to ten and during those 10 seconds i could NOT move. so with slow breaths the nurse counted for me and with one hand i braced the wall and the other gripping to my other shoulder i waited my ten seconds and he remove the thinner needle to see that he didn't get a sample. so he cranked again further into my bone (he did ask how i was doing and my reply without hesitation was, "how do you think i am doing you drilling into my ass bone" he started laughing and said no more jokes or this would take longer) so he inserted another needle and i waited my 10 painful seconds and he removed the needle and said quote unquote "wow, you are difficult to the bone" (hence the title of today's blog) and went in a third time and cranked away at the drill, then inserted yet another needle and finally got his sample that he needed to run the tests. i won't get the test results for a few weeks but i pray that he got the sample that he needed and i never have to do that again. after he was done he said i did great and a nurse had to apply pressure to the incision location for 15 minutes then put on a compression bandage.
after that was all said and done i went back down the hallway to the chemo room found my "comfy" chair and my nap began. thinking that i was instore for another 5-6 hour chemo session i had made plans with lorie to come over and have lunch with me. but to my surprise i was done in a little over 3 hours. i texted lorie and she said she was waiting for the food and i told her i would meet her at her mom's. excited to get out of there, i grabbed my appt card and headed to the door saying my goodbye's to my nurses for the day. on my way out i see a coat rack filled with hand knitted beanies with a sign saying free to patients and it is a reminder of what may come...a bald head! the dr. says i will lose my hair between the 10th and 21st day and so far i am on day 16 and not one clump has come out....fingers crossed it stays that way ;)

4 comments:

  1. I am so proud of you for all you are doing. I love you and I am here for you always!

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  2. i only lost the top portion of my hair and i had 4 treatments a week for 6 weeks, 3 diff times. So you have a GOOD chance your beautiful hair will hardly be effected if any =)

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  3. I love reading your blog and smiling and crying with you as I read. The only thing that would make it all better would be if I could be there so sit and talk to you after each visit! You positive attitude is so great and I so need to learn to be like you!!

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  4. ...sorry for the typos above =)

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