Port O Cath and Day One of New Treatment

I am writing from my infusion room. Today is day one of my new treatment. I also got my port placed on Tuesday. Lets just say that was a terrible no good rotten day. Followed by another rotten day. For the port placement they give you "moderate" or "conscious" sedation. Long story short and to spare you the details, my body doesn't respond to the drugs they give you for this so I was much more conscious then anyone should ever be for such a procedure. It was awful. And then yesterday I was so sore from being so tense during the procedure, every muscle in my upper body was sore. I slept well finally last night and woke up feeling much better.

Before coming up to treatment I met my sweet friends Ali and Cynthia (and Elisa) at The Baking Hive. Ali's daughter is Ruby who I have written about before. She has stage 4 melanoma so I feel extra connected with her. I just hate knowing that she has to go through the same thing as me in her little 3 year old body. If you didn't know she was sick then you'd have no idea, she is still just a sweet little girl - carefree and happy. Her and her sister Jane decorated cupcakes and then Cynthias boys joined them and decorated their own. It was pretty dang cute to watch. 

My port was accessed for the first time today. They weren't able to put numbing cream on it or ice it before so I was a bit worried about how it would feel being used for the first time. I literally barely felt the needle go in - well worth the two days of pain for the ease of accessing it. 

Right now I am waiting for the pharmacy to mix up my first drug, Ipilimumab/Yervoy and then we will get started. After I'm done with that (90minutes) I will get my Nivolumab/Opdivo and I believe that is a 60minute infusion. I have planned on being here until 6ish so we'll see how close to that it actually is. 

Here's hoping I don't get sick from these treatments and everything goes well going forward and that I respond well. Positive thoughts out there for me please! 

xoxox

Infusion started

All hooked up

Getting accessed for the first time - a breeze!

Warning: Hazardous (but also freeeeee)