Word For the Day: Decadron

I keep an organizer/calendar in which I write daily notes on Millie's temperature, blood count, food intake, mood, energy, etc. On Wednesday evening I ran out of room in the space alloted for the 13th of January merely by recording each time she vomited, punctuated by the names of the various pharmaceuticals administered to try to stop it.

It was a rough night.

At least we resolved the drama of the 90-minute interval bedpan duty by employing a "wrap pad" ("don't call it a diaper, don't call it a diaper, don't call it a diaper") for the late night hours and putting our nurse on task to check and change it. Go Mama.

Thursday, however, we administered a 4th and 5th drug to our 43-pound princess warrior; a drug called Decadron was given 30 minutes prior to chemo and a patch of scapalomine was placed behind her ear to alleviate seasickness. (And possibly scurvy, who knows?).

Thursday night she fell asleep at 5pm after a day filled with lovely visitors and lots of turns in the art room (Millie's favorite place). Chemo started at 6pm in a new, shared room to which we had been abruptly moved. My anxiety was quaking out my pores at the thought of a repeat of Wednesday night in the new cramped quarters with another (non chemo) family.

I got myself all stressed out for nothing- as the other family turned off televisions and lights by 8:30, and Millie slept through the chemo completely with no waking to retch. (Thank you, Decadron!)

At 7am this mornng she woke cheerfull. We were in the playroom by 8. She has been great all day. We had morning visitors: Lisa (who brought cheer for Millie and strength and knowledge to me) and Sandy (who gave me a facial and shaped my eyebrows!)

I took my normal road and got quite stressed out about starting chemo even earlier today- 3pm- but again, for nothing. Chemo and post-chemo hours went well. She was asking for pizza during chemo infusion (which visiting Brick went and got for her)! And then asked for chicken nuggets (picked up by Tricia on her way in).

Tricia came down to spend quiet evening time with Millie and chat with me, which was just perfect and serene. Brick came back to visit in the evening since he had to leave after a short time in the afternoonto. As Millie slept, in the darkness of the room with the view of the city lights of Oakland downtown out the window, Brick, Tricia and I talked and laughed a bit, and I felt peace. Or it could have been the beer. (Thanks, Brick)