It starts...

Tim started the new regimen yesterday. Today we are sitting in the hospital room getting the Rotuxin treatment, which is the one that takes 4-6 hours. T is tired, but in good spirits. He didn't feel any nausea until this morning, which is what we expected after the last round.

Yesterday they placed the PICC line in his upper right triceps, which means there are two small tubes dangling from his arm at all times. Currently there are bags of chemo attached to the tube, each about the size of a quart-sized Ziploc bag. He has a shoulder bag holding the chemo packs around his body and it fits under his arm, reminiscent of leather water pouch favored by travelers or adventuring archaeologists. The attached bags make bathing and sleeping a challenge. Last night as Tim was trying to climb into the bathtub, I held the pouch for him and prepared to help him wash up. I remembered that I hadn't brought in a towel for when he was finished, so I went to get it...while carrying the chemo bag. Had it not been so utterly terrifying, it would have been hilarious. Sleeping has also been interesting. I set T up in the middle of our queen sized bed with the chemo bag on his right side and his phone and a light within reach, so if he needs help getting up and I'm not answering his pleas, he can ring me from the bedroom. I am for the time being sleeping on the recliner in the living room.



We made sure to plan a fun weekend to preface the new regimen and our new schedule. My cousin Dan was married on Saturday and we stayed in a hotel for that both Friday and Saturday. Tim got tired toward the end of the eve on Saturday and he went to bed a bit early, but at the beginning of the dancing portion of the reception, he was a twisting machine! Sunday we had a quiet day of reading, napping, baking tomatoes and general recovery and on Monday, we had lunch in Chinatown with our friend Richard and his roommate and saw the lovely Jessica and her Tim for a bbq that night. It was a tiring weekend, but a nice lead-in to the long week ahead.