It's a Roller Coaster

I don't really know how to put into words the past two days.  I guess I'll start with what happened Friday morning.  Getting my first chemo treatment meant lots of firsts and learning the ins and outs of chemo administration:

• The first time accessing my port.  Everyone had to wear masks, including me, to prevent any germs getting into the port and, therefore, straight into my bloodstream.
• An hour or more of prep before getting the actual infusions.  I had to take four anti-nausea medications, including one through an IV, and an antacid before I was cleared to start the chemo drugs.
• Quintuple checks to make sure I was the right patient getting the right medication.
• Free pastries donated by Panera and coffee while we wait.
• Getting the adriamycin via a huge syringe rather than an IV drip like I had expected.
• Lots of laughter with my nurses who made the experience much more enjoyable (and I contributed my share to the laughter.  See flight video below.)

Despite all the anti-nausea medicines I got at the infusion center and the ones I've been taking at home (three prescriptions: one every six hours, one every eight hours, and one every 12 hours), I've still been feeling nauseous.  Absolutely nothing sounds appealing to eat and even water seems to upset my stomach.  I slept most of Saturday and was finally able to eat with a little hunger last night.  I'm praying the nausea is on its way out.

Saturday morning I got the Neulasta shot that is going to stimulate my bone marrow to make more white blood cells so that when the chemo kills a bunch of them, I will still have more to fall back on.  They said from now on I can give the shot to myself the day after chemo, but I'm not quite sure I'm that brave yet.  While I was waiting to be called back, I had some time to read a couple of the magazines laid out around the waiting room.  One of them was Journey, a Bible study magazine I really enjoy.  In it, I found this quote: "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.  There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.  Faith begins where man's power ends" (George Muller).  Right now, not much seems humanly possible for me.  So I stand on faith that God will bring me through this and use my weakness to glorify His strength.

Sola Deo gloria