Come Away with Me...

...to a clinical trial infusion! The title sure read nicely, didn't it?  :)

For the today's cisplatin infusion (#3 of 4), I thought I'd take you all with me so you can see what these infusion days are like for me.

1. First up: I check in at the Breast Center at CU Hospital. 

2. We wait. You knew that, though, right? The Breast Center appointment consists of:

• my port being accessed (yep, I still have it) for bloodwork to check a litany of things - some of which determine if I'm able to receive another infusion that day
• taking weight and height measurements
• discussing side effects, any issues with treatment, questions I have, etc.

3. After we're done at the Breast Center, we turn back and head towards the Anschutz Cancer Pavillion (ACP). Sounds like a circus to me; however, it's not quite as entertaining. 

4. We've found a pleasurable way to get to the ACP. No crowds and nice piano music to listen to from the floor below. I'm trying to be your personal tour guide below. Oh yeah, and my trusty roller bag with necessary supplies (entertainment, hydration, blanket, good luck items, healthy snacks, medications, etc.). 

5. Ooh, look! It's the Infusion Center Check-in! Don't you just love signs that look all formal and fancy? Trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be. 

6. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture that accurately gets the feel of the waiting room. Suffice it to say it's a weird green tint (no, I'm not making this up) and there's a slight hint of smoke smell in the air. Maybe it used to be a break room back in the day? Anyway, it could use a little paint, methinks. 

7. Aah, the hallway de infusion stations. Great that CU has the ability to treat us cancer folks, but unfortunate that they need so many stations. I shake my head every time we head down to my station for the day. There are >20 infusion chairs now. Construction is now underway to add a good deal more.

8. Lucky #19 is where it's at!

9. The infusion stations are copacetic. There's enough space to get by and move about. Not much privacy or noise abatement, though.

10. Getting infused. (And looking entirely too excited about it, I realize.)

11. Much of my infusion time is spent using my tablet and keyboard; two wonderful gifts Joshua gave me last year. Additional hydration is always good, too. Drinking up forces me to take bathroom breaks = walk.

12. My view of the outside world as I'm sitting in my infusion chair.

13. A courtyard just outside the infusion center. While I'm getting pre-meds, I can go outside and stroll around with my IV cart. (Not allowed while the chemo drug itself is being administered.) So far it hasn't been warm enough to go out - but maybe today will be a good day for wandering around outside a while.

There you have it - a visual tour of one of my infusion days at UCH. 

And let the countdown begin...in 20 days, I'll be 75% done with the clinical trial!