I had my second infusion on the 17th. It wasn't a pleasant experience this time around. The first infusion was a breeze. I sat there and chatted with everyone and didn't feel sick until later in the day. This time wouldn't be so fabulous.
First of all, they told me I wouldn't have the short infusion because of my bad reactions so this would be as long. O-K. I sat down, got comfortable, and then winced as the nurse fought to get a vein in my left arm. I suggested my right arm instead. That also was a bit of a struggle. OK, ouch, now we are in. I got IV Benadryl first so they could be prepared. Instantly, I was loopy and got snuggled into my chair to get through this day. Medicine was started and the nurses all wandered off to tend to other patients. Hmm ... pain.
Dan asked what was wrong and I said my arm kind of hurt.
More pain. Ow. This doesn't feel right. I cringed and asked him to get the nurse. I lifted my arm and it was turning red. I don't think it's supposed to do that. They checked the IV, the nurse who put it in swears she had good blood return so it was placed right. Her partner got a warm blanket and wrapped my arm. The pain seemed to recede a little then. And, then it came back ... MORE. My arm was once again, very red. Wrapped again in another warm blanket ... it seemed to be better.
That kept going the whole time. I think the needle was sticking out of the vein on the inside but who am I to say, right? After the struggle she had to make it go ... I think it went all the way through.
What followed was, quite simply, minor hell. I was dizzy, nauseous, weak, shaky all day Friday, all day Saturday, all day Sunday. Sunday night I had such pain in my head and neck that I almost went to the Emergency Room. I was dizzy and weak Monday. Tuesday, I tried to run some errands and found myself so dizzy I ran to a bathroom in a grocery store and lost my lunch. I emailed my doctor and said that I was going back to work the next day but had updated her on my symptoms. She wasn't comfortable with me going back to work so I stayed home yesterday as well. Last night, the strange headache was coming on again when I went to bed.
Today ... I feel about 65% of normal. My vision still seems off, and I am weak. My head hurts today. It's just not going to be a good day. But, baby steps back to normal.
I don't have to go through that for six months, at least. Hopefully, things will go well and I won't have to do it ever again. Well, not any time soon at least. I mean, if I don't go back to feeling terrible. I don't know how this all works.
I'm just hopeful that it works, and I don't have any life altering side effects. You know the ones, those rare ones, ... let's keep it away.