I had my second treatment on March 11, 2016. I was hoping that this one would run a little smoother. I figured it could only be better because I didn’t have the flu this time around. I went in at 9:15 this time. Woohoo for sleeping in this time!

Once again, they had trouble getting blood from my port. I’m going to nickname it, “Turnip.” (If you don’t understand why, google it.) Yet again, a little Heparin and the blood was good to flow. Unsurprisingly, I had been pretty tired. However, the doctor discovered that my hemoglobin level was off more than what was to be expected. So she did further tests and they showed that I had an iron deficiency. She prescribed iron supplements. She told me that if my levels did not improve, I was going to have to get a blood transfusion. Yeah, um, no thanks.

This time around the chemo itself seemed to fly by because the nurses already knew how I tolerated the medications. For instance, the first time I got Herceptin, it was given over a 90 minute interval. This time, it was only going to take 30 minutes. As a result, chemo only took 4 1/2 hours! It was nice to leave while the sky was still full of sunshine.

Thing I learned this chemo: bring a turban. I received a very nice turban from my friend, Mary Ann. It is comfortable, keeps my bald head warm, and save others from the glare of said bald head. However, it also has another purpose—sleep mask. Most turbans are lightweight, slightly stretchy material. I have a great deal less hair than I did the first time I tried it on. This adds up to being able to pull the turban lower on my head to cover my eyes. This way I was able to keep my little head warm and turn off the lights for a quick nap. Of course, I could bring a sleeping mask with me, but this is an easy two-for-one! It does help that I have no qualms looking like a drunk theatre junkie sleeping off a bender. 🙂