Round One, Cycle 1-1. Done.

My father and Mary came over to stay with the kids while Kevin and I went to the clinic this afternoon to have the infusion pump removed.

He's really tired tonight. Some of it seems to be that he can finally relax and sleep comfortably having gotten through this first round--and having the infusion pump off is a tremendous relief to him. By mid-morning today he was just antsy with anticipation.

We waited a long time at the clinic before someone was able to get to him. The pump was beeping its agreement that it was time to be done. Forty-five minutes is too long for Kevin to sit there for something that should have been a 15 minute event. The nurses are all always busy; there seems to be a large patient to staff ratio.

I am, again, really bothered by the disorganization and poor communication at the clinic. The nurse taking Kevin's vitals asked about his medications. Kevin can't hear when someone talks with their back to him--we have repeatedly mentioned this at appointments. He doesn't like asking for things to be repeated so he just agreed with what she said. I heard a medicine in the list, though, that he doesn't take. I asked about it. The nurse was very insistent that it's a prescription Kevin has even if he hadn't used it--it was listed on his chart. Turns out the nurse practitioner was supposed to prescribe an anti-nausea drug to be filled after that first chemotherapy just in case Kevin needed it at home. That didn't happen, we were sent home with nothing.

I suppose it all worked out since Kevin managed without the drug and since we are commited to him going without extra drugs as much as possible. But what if he HAD needed it in the middle of the night? And it was listed in his records as having been prescribed. I don't want those kind of inaccuracies in Kevin's care and worry about what might be missed when I can't be there to hear for Kevin.

In any case, we got the prescription and had it filled today. Kevin doesn't want to take it but I think it's good to have the Compazine on hand in case he needs it at some point. The prescription was for 100 tablets with 5 refills. Clearly, the clinic expects him to need it.

As far as side effects, the tiredness and the ongoing headache are the most dominant. He feels a little nauseous but thinks that has to do with the headache as much as anything.

Kevin went this morning on his own to see Dr. Francis, his surgeon, for a 6 week check up. I hated being unable to go with him, but I knew he would be fine in the capable hands of Dr. Francis and his office staff. I could only get someone to sub in the daycare for one period in the day and it was better to go with him to the oncology clinic this afternoon.

Dr. Francis says Kevin is doing great--he was impressed with the 2 miles a day Kevin is walking. He reiterated his encouragment about doing chemotherapy as an extra caution. Said something about it almost guaranteeing a cure in Kevin's case.

That's what we want. A cure. An almost guarantee.