Every two weeks...

Every two weeks it's a trip to the hospital for a blood test and to meet with my oncologist an hour later, in order to greenlight the IV infusion two days later and to discuss side effects and how the treatments are going in general. Quality of life is monitored, as I recently found out if the treatments are making you sicker than the disease then the point is missed and adjustments are necessary. Wish I would have known about this before... It's a constant learning curve.

I'm on a daily oral chemo pill and the infusions are a sort of immunotherapy, but not quite. It's called monoclonal antibody therapy, which is "a type of targeted cancer therapy, which means it is designed to interact with specific targets. Some monoclonal antibodies are also immunotherapy because they help turn the immune system against cancer."** 

Since the cancer I have is so rare, treatment protocol is a shot in the dark at this point. I'm also part of a genetic testing study run by the hospital's research facility, which means more Dracula time. 

What the infusions it looks like:

Last time I was lucky to get a stretcher to rest on, usually I get a chair such as the one the gentleman across the hall is sitting on. They recline all the way though, so it's nice. They give you blankets that have been warmed up and ice water too.

My veins are starting to reel from constant assaults, it's getting hard to get IV lines in now - some of you have had this and know what I mean, it's not fun but it's necessary. It often takes nurses up to three pokes to find a good vein. It's the price to pay for free healthcare in a brand-new facility, so what sounds like a complaint is actually gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff who devote their lives to saving that of others. The unsung heroes in this story.

I'm due for another scan soon, I always get nervous because nobody wants to see the tumors spreading. I have no idea what's going on in my body, I only see and feel side-effects of those microscopic soldiers fighting the good battle and I pray, oh how I pray they are holding the fort. I've had to reduce chemo dosage in half in order to function and we don't know yet if it's enough.

As a child of God, I believe all good actions have an effect so again, I will ask if you can spare a prayer for this old girl... it would be greatly appreciated.

**Source: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/monoclonal-antibodies