Day 13 – My Healing Journey

My excited celebration of my ” piece of cake” first treatment was unfortunately short lived.  What I didn’t find out until I was ready to leave was that after each treatment, I had to go in the following day for a shot and that after each treatment, I would have to have that specific shot within 24 hours of the infusion.

Apparently after each infusion, the white blood cell count drops rapidly and significantly, leaving your immune system severely compromised so the shot is provided to boost it back up.

What I also didn’t know, was that the shot had many different side effects for many different people. I told them I didn’t really want to know about those negative aspects.  I knew that if I did, my mind would automatically go there and start thinking about them putting needless angst in my head thinking that I had one of them when maybe I didn’t. I told them I would rather let it unfold naturally.

Well, the aftermath of that shot unfolded naturally alright; it left me with such intense and severe bone pain that I wanted someone to shoot me. Tylenol, their drug of choice didn’t even touch the pain; it was like I had the flu on steroids and every bone in my body ached with such intensity that I couldn’t handle it.  At that point, I think I would’ve rather gone through childbirth again; that’s how intense the pain was.

My sister was my biggest cheerleader and advocate.  I couldn’t get out of bed, let alone get on the phone and try and have a conversation with someone.  She continually tried calling the after hours number they gave us but no one ever answered. She tried googling alternative numbers for the clinic to get in touch with someone to find out what I could take to alleviate the pain.  No one was available.

The first infusion was on a Thursday, the shot was on Friday so obviously no one was around on the weekend.  Of course, Murphys Law came in to play. The pain didn’t start until after the clinic was closed on Friday so my chances of getting any help went right out the window.