My chemo was put off (RN said "we can be flexible when we need to". I now get chemo on Tuesday, so I'm 5 days late with the treatment. I asked if we could put it off until the Monday (the 20th) and only be 4 days late or the Monday after Thanksgiving (because of the flexible option) because we were planning the annual long weekend with the grandchildren, the children, and the sibling. Granted all are step relatives to me but not to Kay. We have done this trip every Thanksgiving for 6 years. It is the only time of the year that all 8 of us can gather together. Other holidays are dedicated to other relatives. We do card games on Wednesday and fight about who gets the guest room with the great bed or the fairly comfortable sofas in the family room, then Thanksgiving on Thursday, Christmas on Friday, everyone's birthday on Saturday, and do something exciting outdoors on Sunday. Monday we all find our ways back home, leaving Atlanta for Western NC or New Orleans. I explained all this to the charge nurse. Her response was "we can't just put off chemo to suit your schedule. It isn't like this is the last time you can enjoy the family all together". Bearing in mind I've been stage 4 for 14 years and I treat each and every day as if it will be my last I didn't agree with her assessment of my potential family time. I guess being flexible only applies to the staff - not the patients.
I am not able to be social for at least 4 days after chemo so this Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri and probably Sat are shot to hell and back. As soon as Kay can get me home from the clinic she is going to drive to Atlanta for the family visit and I'm staying at home to be miserable. By home I mean not leave the house. Can't get the wheelchair out the door and down the steps by myself.
I told the PT department that I couldn't get the wheelchair into the bathroom and Kay couldn't lift it to put it inside the car. PT offered to get me a bedside commode but they couldn't offer a method on how I would empty after using it or what I was suppose to do with the waste. How do you use a walker and carry a full bucket when you can only walk on one leg???? Hell maybe I should just raise the window and pitch it outside. There are shrubs along the bedroom side of the house that probably wouldn't mind the dampness but I'm not sure the neighbors would approve since there is only about 50 feet that separate their home for ours.
I've been spending a couple of days trying to rearrange my schedule so I can get Tuesdays cleared up. Some of these appointment were made several months ago and are being difficult with the concept of changes the day or time. Oh well that will give me something to do tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday and Friday.
So with all this happening I'm going to start by bah hum bug routine early this year. But thanks for asking. Arggggg. Can you tell I'm not a happy camper?
take GOoD care
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