On Monday afternoon, January 17, we departed for Houston and the Marriott. It was the third week in a row that we would travel to MD Anderson in Houston. The staff at the Marriott was beginning to recognize us. Fortunately, during my work and travel years, I had spent many a night at a Marriott so I was classified as one of their Platinum guests. Platinum guests get upgrades at no cost when one is available. So we got to stay on the concierge floor of the hotel which gave us access to the concierge lounge. Snacks, food and drink all day. Just like going to the kitchen at home. Usually, there is a very elaborate breakfast buffet and a lighter dinner snack available. It is very convenient to go get something to drink or eat without having to leave the hotel. On Tuesday Diana had her EKG test. Else it was a quiet day spent at the hotel. I went out and brought in Chinese food for dinner. Neither of us were in a mood to go out. Diana is very nervous but trying not to show it. I am doing all I can to make her as comfortable as possible.
Wednesday, we went to the clinic to meet with Dr. Blumenschein. Diana and I had discussed and had agreed that Diana would do the clinical trial as her treatment. Diana and I had signed all of the required forms authorizing the clinical trial.We met with Dr. Blumenschein who knew that Diana had already signed all of the papers for the clinical trial. He spoke to Diana for 30 – 45 minutes. At that point he was convinced Diana wanted to proceed with the clinical trial and said he would now sign the orders to proceed. He was just making sure that Diana wanted to proceed. Signing of the documents was not enough for him.
Diana took her chemo treatment Wednesday night and finished about 7 PM. We went back to our hotel and departed for Frisco Thursday morning. About 3 hours into our trip home, Diana did not feel well. We pulled off the freeway and into a huge parking lot of a sporting goods retailer. Diana had her first case of nausea from chemo. I felt helpless. We were not prepared for this event. I went scrambling for paper towels, water, etc to clean up. I had not expected nor planned for such an event. I would in the future however. We finally got Diana cleaned up and continued home. Once we got home, Diana went straight to bed.
Diana was sick several times on Thursday afternoon/evening and Friday morning. On Friday morning around 11 AM I sent an email to the research nurse about Diana’s nausea. Within five minutes I received a phone call on my cell phone. It was our research nurse at MD Anderson. He had received my email. He told me that Dr. Blumenschein was out of town, but he would speak with him soon. He told me to get the telephone number of our pharmacy and email it to him. Once he spoke with Dr. Blumenschein, he would call in a new prescription for Diana’s nausea and inform me.
Around 1 PM I received a call from MD Anderson that a new prescription had been called into our pharmacy for Diana. I immediately went and picked it up. The new prescription was suppositories – but they worked. Diana has been resting all weekend. She has been very fatigued. Emotionally, it has been a tough week for both of us.
I spent Friday and Saturday at her office, but my mind was not there. I hate to see Diana sick, especially when there is nothing I can do to help. However, we need to learn to suffer through these sick days as they are very normal when you take a chemotherapy drug. I cannot believe what Diana is going through and there is nothing I can do to improve the situation. Every time she gets sick, I get mentally sick and just walk around in a daze until I can help her back to bed.