Today is officially my first time doing chemo as an outpatient at National Cancer Centre,SGH.
Packed a book, downloaded some movies on my iPhone, brought two packets of biscuits and my water bottle. Trotted down to SGH, NCC feeling like I am going for some battle.
This is a place where you take a Q no and there is more waiting than anything else done.
Took a Q no and I joined a hall full of erm.... no offence---old people. I was expecting a few bald people. But a HALL with probably 15 by 10 rows of chairs filled with old people?
Unexpected.
Am I at the old folks' home or what? Feel so out of place.
So I took the Q no wait to be registered then wait wait wait for them to call me to go in and do chemo. (No joke. I waited 1 hour or so just for them to call me in)
I was so hungry while waiting, I think if cancer don't kill me, I will still die of hunger on the spot. Luckily, my mum went to buy a packet of rice for me. Never thought that rice could taste so good! Gobbled it down like I haven't eaten for 3 days. *Burp*
Ok. Back to the chemo. Finally my turn.
Shuffled my legs with a big belly into this room called "Jasmine Suite". Sound so nice right? There are two rows of 8 recliner chairs. The recliner chairs are real comfy. But the stool beside the recliner chairs (meant for visitors) looks butt hurting. I think my hubby wouldn't want to sit on that and wait for me lolx!
So I sat myself at my recliner chair called J4 comfortably. Every chair has a number labelled to them convenient for the nurses to identify. Lifted my legs up, they throw me a blanket and I put my back 30 degrees down. Too cold, requested another blanket.
Then, the nurses will keep asking you "So what is your name and IC?" for about 20 times throughout the day and they will compare my answer with whatever they are holding in their hands especially medicine. At least I know the medicine is MINE!
Then before they give me the chemo, I was asked to swallow two tablets of painkiller. Then they pump in a syringe of liquid called Benodryl, it is a drug used to prevent the side effects of the chemo.
I tell you, this drug is super powerful. As the nurse pump in she said "This drug is to prevent the side effects. You will feel drowsiness."
"Orh"
"Do you feel drowsy already?" --This is only like 10 seconds later. She is still pushing the syringe.
"Yea. How u know?"
"I can see it in your eyes."
"So I have to feel the effect NOW is it?"
"Yah. The drowsiness comes immediate."
Then I said "Ok. I am going to sleep now."
I seriously cannot open my eyes. So powerful is the medicine.
So basically, I slept throughout the whole chemo session.
ZZzzzzzZZZzzz.......
ZZZzzzzZz.......
ZZzzzZZzzzz...... I slept for 2 hours? Chemo starts at 1-ish and I woke up seeing the time is 3.30p.m.
Midway while I was sleeping, I attempted to open my eyes and guess what---- I saw this old couple sitting just opposite of me both staring at me!
The husband was in the recliner, I suppose he is receiving chemo like me (what else?) and the wife was seated on the uncomfortable stool. The wife still bend her body to look at me like I am some alien sitting there poisoning myself.
So what? Am I too pretty or too young to be in this room is it? I told you! This place is full of old people. I am the odd one out. Being pretty just makes me more... odd.
Then, the drowsiness knock me out again.
Until 3.30pm, I finally can be awake. I woke up and quickly asked to go and release my water in my bladder. Pushed the bag of poison with me to pee.
Then I was looking at the people beside me (finally), on my left is a Malay lady around 40 years old accompanied by another Malay lady and her son.
On my right, is a woman around 40 years old too (ok I cannot really tell the age. I just assume they are 40 years old. They look like to me) She has a head of red spikey hair dressed in a flowery silky kimono style top.
Let's call her Alice. She looks like Alice to me. Alice is a very cheerful woman. She was joking with the nurses. And she even asked if after her chemo on 23 Dec she can go party. Her optimism and smiles touched me deeply. I actually teared embarrassedly at my own seat. I feel that she still can laugh at her own problem makes her really beautiful. Maybe I am jealous of her red hair hahaha. Alice looks like a fighter and I know she is very strong.
So that's the end of my chemo Session Two Part One. 5 drugs are done on me today. RCHOP. Just have to await the side effects to come in the next few days.
Next Monday I will be admitting to a luxurious 3 days stay in SGH. To do one more drug MTX and to let the toxic flush out for 3 days.
I should just leave my house without the heavy book and movie. I will be sleeping anyway.
When you treat a disease, first treat the mind. ~Chen Jen
No comments:
Post a Comment