Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to the RAH we go

We were so late this morning for day one of Round 3. I was booked in to the RAH at 10 but we eventually got there about 11:20. It all started yesterday when we didn't get enough jobs, tidying and packing done during the day. We ended up staying up late trying to bring some order to the house so that the splendid young man caring for the place didn't have a total dump to deal with and then we had to pack.

We had a broken sleep (thanks, kids) and were up at 6:30 with sandpaper eyes with a goal of leaving around 8. Ha! I think it was 9:15. Anyway, we took the girls down to West Beach for the next couple of nights with grandparents Mac, God bless them. Hopefully they will all have a great time.

I had called the RAH to let them know I would be late so when we got there, it wasn't a hassle. Unfortunately my allocated nurse for today was one I have not had yet but I have seen her in action - having two cracks at getting a cannula in a guy's arm and botching them both, prior to getting someone else to do it. Two round bandaids on my arm later and another nurse eased it in splendidly. The original nurse was good at the rest of the process except for when she told another chemo patient who had no hair and had been waiting for her bags for over an hour that the chemo preparation section was so flat out today they were "losing their hair". Not a phrase I would have chosen to use, given the audience. I would have allowed "pulling their hair out".

I received my bags of goodies mostly without incident, just my usual sinus reaction to cyclophosfamide (which was annoying), enjoying the November 2009 issue of Gardening Australia. Incidentally, now is the time to take cuttings in the garden, but only early in the morning or late in the afternoon - keep them out of the sun. I may do this when I get home.

We then went back to the unit in Black Forest, unpacked and had a cup of tea before going back to the RAH for good old Mesna the bladder protector. Then the unit again for tea and out to Macca's for icecream and free WiFi to type this.

When we went back in for the Mesna, the guy mentioned in a previous post, who we have unfortunately nicknamed 'Testicle Man' for now, was reclining getting his chemo. I worked out he's already on his second round and this week should be getting chemo everyday. We shared a nod of acknowledgement/recognition when they left so perhaps I will tell him about Lance if we see them again. He was on crutches and I assume, which can be dangerous, that he has had surgery. I did overhear - I know, it's eavesdropping blah, blah but he was in the next chair over, it's only 2 metres away, I don't listen on purpose, really. I like to think of it as aural observance. Anyway, they said last time that they didn't have kids yet and that they had collected some swimmers for later (just like Lance). It makes me glad and thankful that we have the girls and that we don't have the added stress of those sorts of things. Five days straight (also what Lance had) is a tough gig and I feel he's got it harder than me. Not that it's a competition, but it's good for a bit of perspective and my heart goes out to them.

Enough for today. Etoposide tomorrow.