Mon, Feb 15, 2016

We left Barnesville at about 8:00 am, and we arrived at the Wheeling Hospital clinic at 8:36 am. Dad seemed weak this morning.

At 8:55 am, Dad got called back into wherever. Mom went with him. Jeff and I remained in the waiting room.

9:45 am text from Mom:

Dad is getting fluids now. Waiting on lab results. Just brought him one of those warm blankets. After the lab results come back I will get those comfortable pants for him and he can change.

10:40 am Mom text:

Nurse just came and said he was dehydrated not drinking enough fluids. Blood work all good except what showed he was low on fluids. Holding one of the chemo drugs today because of his kidneys. Giving him two bags of fluids to hydrate him. Will still go home on the pump. Needs to drink and drink. Gatorade and salty foods. Low on sodium. Changing shots to the exact amount!!!

Mom text at 12:06 pm :

Good grief! What a bunch of bags of stuff to run in him the fluid going in is coming out faster then it goes in.

Mom text at 12:30 pm:

Ordered dad some lunch. He is resting now. After he eats and is settled we can go to lunch unless you two want to go ahead and buy your own!

Mom text ~1:30 pm :

Dad ate a good lunch of 3 chicken strips, chicken noodle soup and chocolate cake. He ate it all too. After he rests and goes to the rest room I will be out. Getting thirsty.

Mom text at 2:19 p.m.:

Dad is sound asleep with the chemo running. Picked up scrip and it is a quantity of 180 so won't run out for awhile.

At 3:20 pm, Jeff and I went into the treatment area. Dad was awake, sitting up. We should be leaving around 4:30 pm. He has been instructed to drink more fluids and eat more salt from now on.

4:23 pm Dad applied mask. Dr has mask on. Have to wear mask when changing dressing on picc line, which is attached on the inner area of his upper left arm. Something was injected into the lines.

At 4:36 pm, pump was connected into picc line. The pump resides inside a black nylon rectangle pack, approx 12 inches wide, 6 inches deep, and 4 inches high. It has a shoulder strap. Looks like a narrow shoulder bag. It will pump until approx 2:30 pm Wed.

We arrived back at Barnesville at 5:45 pm. Dad has his shoulder bag or man-purse, which contains the chemo pump. The bag is black nylon with Velcro flaps and zippers. It looks similar to something I might wear bird watching or hiking.

One Velcro-held flap displays a keypad when opened. This keypad or screen might be accessed if something beeps. And Mom can call someone at the hospital at anytime, regarding the pump.

The pump will dispense 1.7 cc of chemo treatment per hour, which is a very small amount. We return for an appointment on Wednesday at 2:30 pm. That's when the pump will be stopped and returned.

But Dad keeps the nylon bag. Dad can decorate the black nylon bag anyway that he wants. Maybe the girls can offer suggestions.

We brought home a spill kit. It's rare or unlikely that a chemo spill will occur, but if it does, Mom or someone will put on a mask, a suit, gloves, and booties that come with the kit. Hazmat-like outfit. The kit contains a cat litter-like substance that causes the chemo to gel. The kit contains a scoop. And we were given a plastic yellow kitchen-sized trash can with a lid to store the scooped up mess.

But we were told it would be extremely unlikely that a leak would occur. But if it does, the chemo cannot contact skin. Hence the outfit.