Chemo #3 complete

Well Chemo #3 is complete but wasn't as smooth as I would have liked.    I told the nurse about the soreness in my left arm, after having chemo 1 and 2 with the veins.  So they tried to find a vein on my right arm - and that DID NOT go well.  4 pricks later, by 3 different nurses, and it was time to give up.  They were able to get me in for a PICC line (although it was a 2 hour wait and delayed chemo til the afternoon).  Long day at the hospital! We arrive at 8am and didn't go home til 3:15pm.


I was nervous to get the PICC line - it is in my arm and they basically insert a tube through my vein to my chest, and they can use it to take blood and give chemo.  even as I type it, it sounds gross to me!
It is weird to have something in my body.  I am getting use to it.  Chemo did go much smoother though.  and it will save my arms from vein pain.  The nurse who did it was so great, she kept me distracted with funny stories from her home town.  She also told me her friend had breast cancer and did it through IV/veins and she still had arm pain months later.  So I am trying to focus on the benefits as much as I can.  the sad news is I can't swim while I have it in, so no swimming at the cottage this year.  I guess I can dangle my feet in the water.  To shower I have to wrap it with cling wrap.   I also have to get the dressing changed once a week (and had to have it changed yesterday, one day after going in).  So yesterday a nurse came to my home to do this, which was great because I was just too tired to go out.  Next Friday I can go to a clinic nearby for the dressing change.  The other downside to the PICC line is I feel it makes me look sick! I have a bandage on it and I have covered it with an arm band, but still, just another reminder that I have cancer!


The whole experience has give me a lot of fatigue, so I haven't been doing much the last couple of days, just trying to recuperate.


I am hoping the rest of the chemo sessions go smoothly.  I am 37.5% done!  one more to go before the cottage break. Then I will switch to Taxol in late August.


Here is a photo of my with my PICC line and also a photo of my beaten up right arm!