Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Treatment is off and running...
I don't know how I did it but for the first time ever I'm actually connected to the internet at Dr. Leming's office. I'm not really sure what I did right (or wrong) but I have a connection (be it ever so slow) so I thought I'd do my first ever blog from the chemo parlor over at Cincinnati Hemotology Oncology.
So far things are going smoothly. My port worked to perfection and I'm in the early stages of the Rituxan infusion. This is the drug that has caused a couple allergic reactions so they take it very slow; it will probably take 3+ hours to complete. I don't want to jynx anything but so far there has been no itching or hives but like I said, it's fairly early in the process.
The nurses assured me that this treatment should be far more tolerant than my previous treatments back in 2006. While Bendamustine is a chemotherapy, it is not nearly as toxic as the CHOP chemotherapy and they said everyone they have given it to has tolerated the drug fairly well. Here's hoping I don't break that trend.
As I look around the 'parlor' almost all of the 20 recliners are filled with 'customers'. Some of them appear to be in much better shape than others - the one constant is they all appear to be in great spirits and positive about their future. The nurses around here are very compassionate and do their best to keep the atmosphere light. I don't know how they can take being around this every day but they do a wonderful job and make the visits comfortable for all the patients.
I really don't have much more to add at this time. Besides, the Benadryl has me feeling a bit tired so maybe i'll take a nap. I do want to get a new list started. Since i'll be posting a little more frequently I'm going to countdown my 50 favorite songs featuring female vocals from the past 50 years. Feel free to join in if you feel the urge to share your favorites...today we'll do 50 - 41 starting with....
50. Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves. A classic 'one-hit' wonder. This song hit the airwaves in 1985, just weeks before Julie and I got married. I remember the first time I heard it I was driving from Dayton down to Cincinnati for a wedding that was talking place a couple weeks before ours and I had it cranked up. Whenever I hear this song it always reminds me of that frive town to Cincy and the anticipation of our wedding.
49. Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go Go's. I really liked The Go Go's. They had several catchy hits before fame and drugs ripped them apart. Belinda Carlisle went on to have a pretty decent solo career and I believe they recently reunited for a tour but they never did, and most likely never will, match this catchy tune that rocketed them to stardom in the early '80's.
48. This Kiss - Faith Hill. I think Faith has faded away recently, probably because she was caught on camera acting like a baby when she was beat out for favorite female singer at the CMA's by Carrie Underwood a couple years ago. Nevertheless, Faith had a great run and this song about the joys of 'This Kiss' remains my favorite by Faith as well as one of the top hits of her career.
47. The Spy Who Loved Me (Nobody Does it Better) - Carly Simon. Simon had a string of hits back in the 70's and 80's and this James Bond theme song was nominated for an Oscar for best original song back in the early 80's. Carly will pop up a couple more times in the countdown.
46. Poor, Poor Pitiful Me - Linda Ronstadt. Warren Zevon wrote this tune which Ronstadt performed in the miserable 70's movie, 'FM'...her performance was the the only highlight of the movie and probably was the last decent song Ronstadt ever made. She did a couple movie themes (Somewhere Out There comes to mind) and last I heard she had taken up singing Tejada-style song. I also think she put on a few lbs. But back in the 70's she had a pretty good run.
45. Downtown - Petula Clark. Go ahead and laugh. I know the song is pure 'cheese' but who doesn't wind up singing along with this hit from 1965 whenever you hear it on the radio.
44. Edge of 17 - Stevie Nicks. If for no other reason than the way they used the song in the movie, 'School of Rock'. Stevie's voice has really gotten a lot worse over the years but this was one of her biggest hits.
43. Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack. Grammy winner, great vocal by Flack and another song that was hillariously used in a recent movie; 'About a Boy' starring Hugh Grant.
42. Save the Best For Last - Vanessa Williams. First heard this song watching Saturday Night Live and have liked it ever since. As many of us know, Vanessa was the first African-American woman to be named Miss America only to have it 'stripped' from her when it was learned that she had 'stripped' for Penthouse Magazine. This song was part of Vanessa's comeback from that embarrasing episode and propelled her to a pretty impressive career.
41. I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers. Mavis Staples could belt a song and this is the one that she is most remembered for. Awesome song from the early '70's.
That should do it for now. Stay tuned for the next 10 songs in the very near future. I'm about two hours in to my treatment and no allergic reaction so far. Maybe I'm going to get lucky this time around. Still, I'm probably not getting out of here for another 2.5 hours. Take care; thanks for your support and for checking in.
Vince
So far things are going smoothly. My port worked to perfection and I'm in the early stages of the Rituxan infusion. This is the drug that has caused a couple allergic reactions so they take it very slow; it will probably take 3+ hours to complete. I don't want to jynx anything but so far there has been no itching or hives but like I said, it's fairly early in the process.
The nurses assured me that this treatment should be far more tolerant than my previous treatments back in 2006. While Bendamustine is a chemotherapy, it is not nearly as toxic as the CHOP chemotherapy and they said everyone they have given it to has tolerated the drug fairly well. Here's hoping I don't break that trend.
As I look around the 'parlor' almost all of the 20 recliners are filled with 'customers'. Some of them appear to be in much better shape than others - the one constant is they all appear to be in great spirits and positive about their future. The nurses around here are very compassionate and do their best to keep the atmosphere light. I don't know how they can take being around this every day but they do a wonderful job and make the visits comfortable for all the patients.
I really don't have much more to add at this time. Besides, the Benadryl has me feeling a bit tired so maybe i'll take a nap. I do want to get a new list started. Since i'll be posting a little more frequently I'm going to countdown my 50 favorite songs featuring female vocals from the past 50 years. Feel free to join in if you feel the urge to share your favorites...today we'll do 50 - 41 starting with....
50. Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves. A classic 'one-hit' wonder. This song hit the airwaves in 1985, just weeks before Julie and I got married. I remember the first time I heard it I was driving from Dayton down to Cincinnati for a wedding that was talking place a couple weeks before ours and I had it cranked up. Whenever I hear this song it always reminds me of that frive town to Cincy and the anticipation of our wedding.
49. Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go Go's. I really liked The Go Go's. They had several catchy hits before fame and drugs ripped them apart. Belinda Carlisle went on to have a pretty decent solo career and I believe they recently reunited for a tour but they never did, and most likely never will, match this catchy tune that rocketed them to stardom in the early '80's.
48. This Kiss - Faith Hill. I think Faith has faded away recently, probably because she was caught on camera acting like a baby when she was beat out for favorite female singer at the CMA's by Carrie Underwood a couple years ago. Nevertheless, Faith had a great run and this song about the joys of 'This Kiss' remains my favorite by Faith as well as one of the top hits of her career.
47. The Spy Who Loved Me (Nobody Does it Better) - Carly Simon. Simon had a string of hits back in the 70's and 80's and this James Bond theme song was nominated for an Oscar for best original song back in the early 80's. Carly will pop up a couple more times in the countdown.
46. Poor, Poor Pitiful Me - Linda Ronstadt. Warren Zevon wrote this tune which Ronstadt performed in the miserable 70's movie, 'FM'...her performance was the the only highlight of the movie and probably was the last decent song Ronstadt ever made. She did a couple movie themes (Somewhere Out There comes to mind) and last I heard she had taken up singing Tejada-style song. I also think she put on a few lbs. But back in the 70's she had a pretty good run.
45. Downtown - Petula Clark. Go ahead and laugh. I know the song is pure 'cheese' but who doesn't wind up singing along with this hit from 1965 whenever you hear it on the radio.
44. Edge of 17 - Stevie Nicks. If for no other reason than the way they used the song in the movie, 'School of Rock'. Stevie's voice has really gotten a lot worse over the years but this was one of her biggest hits.
43. Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack. Grammy winner, great vocal by Flack and another song that was hillariously used in a recent movie; 'About a Boy' starring Hugh Grant.
42. Save the Best For Last - Vanessa Williams. First heard this song watching Saturday Night Live and have liked it ever since. As many of us know, Vanessa was the first African-American woman to be named Miss America only to have it 'stripped' from her when it was learned that she had 'stripped' for Penthouse Magazine. This song was part of Vanessa's comeback from that embarrasing episode and propelled her to a pretty impressive career.
41. I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers. Mavis Staples could belt a song and this is the one that she is most remembered for. Awesome song from the early '70's.
That should do it for now. Stay tuned for the next 10 songs in the very near future. I'm about two hours in to my treatment and no allergic reaction so far. Maybe I'm going to get lucky this time around. Still, I'm probably not getting out of here for another 2.5 hours. Take care; thanks for your support and for checking in.
Vince
# posted by Vince Hopkins @ 2:56 PM 
