CHOP II

     January 29th, 2004.     

     Here we go with Chemo treatment CHOP #2, so take one of the cushy chairs, sit back and see what happens!  I've got some pics this time so you can see me getting it, and in particular, so you can see the bright red chemical I described in my earlier update.

     We took some juices and snacks with us, and stopped off for a breakfast on the way to the doc's office.  My appointment was for 9 am, but I got a call the night before asking me to be in at 8:30 instead.  No problem, the sooner the better!  We got there plenty early, paid my $30 co-pay, headed to the back and a comfy recliner, and got right into it.

     Nurse Pam got me all hooked up in no time, and I just have to say again, this woman KNOWS how to put in an IV!  I mean, really, she just slips it right in, no fuss, no muss, and NO discomfort at all.

     We'll start the picture taking right there...

Here's Nurse Pam setting up the IV.

She decided to use the other arm though...
Here I am, all ready to receive the chemicals.

Here's a look at the little office in the back.  There are actually about
six comfy recliners and a few regular chairs for the visitors.
That's my IV tree standing in the middle.

Here's the red stuff, on standby, in syringes, to be injected into the IV.

And I'm all ready for it!

Even with my hair loss

Okay, time to start pushing in the red stuff.

Nurse Pam puts it in slowly...

And has fun with it!

Another view angle of it.

Here's a close-up of the insertion point.

And a look at it from my perspective.

Interesting apparatus, eh?

It's VERY red!

And it's a big syringe too, but it doesn't matter, cause it just injects
the stuff into the IV, so it's not like there's another big needle in me.

Here's the business end, where it actually enters me.

Here's mom, ready to jump in and help at a moment's notice!

     And there you have it!  Easy as can be!

     Pretty soon, all the stuff is unplugged from me, I'm wearing my 'see ya later' bandage and a big smile, and we're off and running again - mom for home, and me for work.  Just another day in paradise!

     The next appointment is for the doc to have another look, take a blood test, and set up my next Rituxan / Chemo schedule.  I'll see him on February 11th for that, and post an update on what I find out then, including my new schedule.

     Meanwhile, for you geeks in the crowd, I just built a new computer, and it's a real screamer!  Check it out!

     Next Round 3 
                                                            Buck