I have written a few times in the past about the type of treatment that I go through every 28 days, now I’m able to to give you a little closer detail as to what that looks like. Now that restrictions have loosened a bit I was able to bring my photographer (Tracy) along with me. As I right this post I currently have the bandaids still on my butt from my injections yesterday and these pictures are from already twenty eight days ago when I first though about this blog, unreal how it just flies by!!
Many people ask does it hurt, my answer to this is a resounding “yes, yes it does” as the medicine is a thick liquid injected injected into the muscle at the top of my behind and I receive two of them for a total dosage of 60mg..fun, fun. Since I’m a little bit of a superstitious guy my routine has always been left cheek first, followed by the right. For some reason the right side seems to be more sensitive and painful causing it to twitch as the needle breaks my skin. More nerves perhaps on that side, who knows? The whole process only takes about a half and hour from beginning to end, the stress of receiving a needle I now stresses a lot of people out and it’s never really bothered me that much. Not to lie though, a couple days before my shot is due and that reminder phone call comes through sends the heart racing just a little faster for a while. A little deep breathing and a reminder to myself that this has kept my cancer in check for a year now and the anxiety relaxes and I continue as normal.
The only real issue I have with my treatment is the fact I have to drive about an hour to get it, now I know their is some of you out there that have further to go than I do and I certainly feel for you and know that even the hour I have to go is a pain in the ass (pun intended). Then there is the nickel and dimming of you to leave the medical building with a $2 fee. Now it’s not going to break me, but really?? I’m not going there to park because I want to, it’s because I have to and just seems well….petty.
All the nurses I’ve had have been great and have only had the medication block twice in all my shots, which means plug up in the needle. Yes that means a couple rare times I’ve had to get three injections, ouch! There’s no waiting after I’m done and am free to leave immediately, now the drive home can be uncomfortable and I learned that the seat warmers are my best friend after the procedure. For a few days after the shots I sore of coarse and can have an upset belly and sometimes very tired and do my best to rest, not always something I’m good at.
After a few days I’m usually back to my normal self and am able to continue on fairly normal, I get tired bouts brought on by the cancer and medicine I think. All in all I’m still pretty fortunate this is still stage one basically of treatment for this disease and like I said so far has worked well for me. This just gives you a little closer look at this type of treatment and I will do my best to bring all treatments in great detail, just to show what some of my fellow zebra patients have to go through.
I apologize for the long gaps between posts, between helping Tracy out with her new venture, summer busyness I feel myself a little out of gas at the end of each day. Self care is extremely important and I have talked about it before, now I need to take the time to do so and in that I can be a better husband, father and just a better human being. I need to take my own advice and look after myself, just like everyone else should, before anxious feelings creep in and that can make us unpleasant. Thanks for reading as always, much love!!!
Cheers, Steve
Cancer Won't Run My Life 