Infusion Day!

By the time you are reading this post I will be in the infusion clinic receiving my third infusion of Rituximab. I am marveling at the amazing results I am getting from this drug. Yes, I don’t like enduring the discomfort, extreme fatigue, pain of them trying to insert a 22 gauge needle into my arm when my veins are so tiny, but in the end it is worth it. The 5 to 6 months of good far out weights the two weeks of bad. And the fact it is helping my throat heal enough for me to get rid of my trach makes this woman a happy camper.
The extreme fatigue only lasts for two weeks, the pain, and I now know that I need to drink a gallon or two of water the day before them trying to stick an IV into my arm to plump up my veins. Yes, sitting in the hospital for seven hours of chemo is not fun, but I will have my trusty lap top with me, so I can write and read the books and possibly go on the internet and check out Facebook and other research I am doing.
Currently I am writing down all the negative thoughts that jump into people’s heads when they are sick or disabled. I have even interviewed a few people asking them to share their thoughts with me. I am hoping with this research I would be able to create some amazing artistic cards to help counselors with patients who don’t have a voice or who don’t have the words to express what they are going through. One of the biggest hurdles I have faced on my journey is not being able to articulate clearly to those who are not enduring my trials what it is I am feeling or experiencing. I have had counselors say to me that they were nervous about talking to me due to my trach, but felt relieved that I was able to communicate. I want to bridge the gap between clients and counselors so that they can help each other heal. Receiving counseling has helped me in a lot of ways, yes, I can talk to my friends and my family, but they are in my circle and it helps to have someone who doesn’t really know me that well give me a different perspective and not only that but I do not want to burden my family or my friends with my issues when they have their own and that is not to say that my family and friends do not love me, I know that they do. But like my sister in law said to me, she has been waking up with her feet hitting the floor. I am among some amazing and strong women who have their own journey’s to follow and I do not want to be a pest.
What will I be doing while sitting getting my chemo, I will be reading several books that I have on my computer. I also want to write part two of the Gluten Summit I attended, but got sidetracked with my latest inflammation battle. I have things to do, I won’t be bored.
A praise moment, the extra dosages of prednisone that Dr. Gardner up in Seattle gave me is working on my hand. My hand no longer looks like a swollen mass mess. I am able to bend my fingers and my elbow. This will make cutting up the fruit above that I am showcasing from my family in California. Every Thanksgiving weekend my brother and his family hit the highway towards Gerber CA for a Bible conference and they bring back a ton of fruit from our cousin’s orchard. I am blessed with several persimmons, oranges, grapefruits, and pomegranates. This morning I have enjoyed a plump juicy orange, tastes so different than the ones I get from the store. Thank you Meyer’s family for the fruit. As you can see my life isn’t all about the pain. I have a lot of blessings too. What are your blessings? Do you see them?