Round 11 Day 1: LOL?

Round 11 started today. At 8.30am. That's super early for me these days.

Since getting sick, my old morning routine has changed. It used to take me an hour from getting out of bed in the morning to me being ready to walk out the door, sometimes less.

Now its 2 hours. But when I have to be out the door at 7.45am, I revert back to what is basically my old routine but with more drugs, and can get away with being ready in just over an hour.

As usual, we walked in. It was a warm cloudy morning, nice for a walk.

It was surprisingly busy in the chemo ward when we arrived, but we didn't have to wait long before I was called to my chair.

After the time I forgot my emla cream and had to go without, I always make sure I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to apply it an hour before my appointment, and by the time I'm ready for my infusion the numbed skin has gone white, which is reassuring to me as it means its worked.

However this time I could feel the needle as the nurse inserted it - which I told her. And the reason - she'd missed my port!

So we had to try again. I could still feel it going in - she was getting my port but had moved my skin so was missing the numbed area. I told her I could still feel it and she stopped.

Third time lucky. Needle in the port, through the numb bit of skin. Phew!

I feel a bit mean blogging about this because I don't want to make the nurse look bad - she is really good and really nice. She just missed my port, that's all. It's actually kind of funny and I can't resist sharing - I'm not valiant enough to get 3 jabs for the price of one without telling everyone!

After the drama with my port, it then transpired that my Avastin had not arrived yet. It turns out that, like the stuff they give me for a PET scan, it's delivered from Melbourne daily. The carbon footprint on my treatment must be terrible!

So I had to wait around for my drugs,  I could have spent longer in bed! But I had my lovely husband for company and double J on the TV and a big comfy chair so there are worse ways to spend a delay.

It's traditional for me to wear a dress to chemo, but  I thought I'd mix it up a bit this time and wear my Active Wear - as I was going to the gym later the same day, but also partly inspired by this funny video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYRENWT8lz8

Once my drugs arrived, treatment did not take long, and Dave and I walked home again.

Later I went to the gym, my first day at the gym with my new and improved exercise program. It went well - which means it went extra well, because chemo followed by the gym - how awesome!

I was very tired for the rest of the day, but mostly because I'd got up so early and walked to town and back and been to the gym, and less because of the avastin. I think. I'd like to think.