Knocked around

Thursday was pretty forgettable.  I had to get up early to go in for surgery again.  Apparently, during the surgery to install the port in my chest on the left side, the mass in my chest has shifted things around so much that they couldn’t find the vein.  So they poked around a bit to see if the right side might work better, before going back to the left and sorting things out and getting the procedure done.  Just more places to be sore in.  I wasn’t put under general anesthesia for it, but whatever sedation they did give me was still strong enough for me to pass out, only to wake up again in the recovery room after everything was finished.

After getting home, I don’t think I moved much the entire rest of the day.  I don’t know how much of it was recovering from surgery and how much was chemo hitting me, but I had the energy of a drunk sloth on vacation.  Aside from the one time I started coughing to try to clear my throat and then I ran out of oxygen and seized a bit and passed out in my chair, spilling my drink all over me, I hardly moved.  At least my back/hip from the bone marrow biopsy was less sore so I could sit more comfortably all day.  I really hope I’m not that knocked down from just chemo in the future.

Not that I’ve been able to sleep in for awhile, but this morning I had to get to the hospital at 6:45am for an echocardiogram and cardiopulmonary test.  The tests were supposed to be done before starting chemo, but that obviously wasn’t possible.  It was nice to finally have some noninvasive procedures with no needle pricks, but testing my actual lung capacity on machine was a little depressing.  I know I get winded easily and can’t lay in certain positions that constrict my windpipe and apparently if I’m not strong enough to clear my throat with a few coughs I’ll pass out, but trying and failing to score well on my lung tests was sobering.  I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be able to take anything near a full breath of air.