Practicing Medicine

As I returned to the infusion center the following day to resume my treatment, I hoped that my reaction to the treatment would not have caused any issue. Despite the setbacks of the previous day, I was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. After I checked in, the nurse escorted me to a different room to continue my treatment. In this infusion center, each room was named. This room was called Honesty. When I saw this name, I could do nothing but laugh to myself. I knew that everything would be ok. Greater than a decade ago, friends used to call me by the same name. I figured that this was a sign from above letting me know that everything would be ok. This reassurance allowed an overcast of calm to fill the room.

The nurse entered the room and introduced herself to me. She said I would get the investigation medication. The nurse explained that although it is ideal to get all the medication during the same session, extending it did not cause my dismissal from the clinical trial. As she prepared to administer the medication, she remarked that she had heard about my persistence in wanting to continue the treatment. I couldn’t help but laugh at her words. I told her the prospect of spending the night in the lobby, if it meant receiving the treatment I needed, was a small sacrifice compared to the potential benefits it could bring. I explained to her that I was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that nothing hindered the administration of the drug or the potential results it could bring. I was grateful for the opportunity to finally receive the immunotherapy infusion I had been waiting for. In that moment, I realized just how much I was willing to fight for my health and well-being.

As the nurse began the infusion, I felt the horrible head of anxiety trying to creep in. I quickly recalled that I was in the room named Honesty which was my reassurance that I would be ok. Despite the challenges and uncertainties that lay ahead, I knew that this was an important step in my journey. With each drop of medication that flowed through my veins, I stayed in-tuned with my body. I felt a renewed sense of strength to move past any adversity. I didn’t feel chills, nausea, or any reaction.

After the infusion was complete, I sat there for a short minute, wondering if I would feel anything different. I noticed that my hands were shivering just as they had been the day before. I quickly tucked them into my pockets, not wanting anyone to see the visible sign of another reaction. I was able to control it this time and quickly started to drink water. I wanted to flood my body with fluids to help flush some of the toxins out. The nurse flushed the line of my port with saline and injected heparin into the port to keep the blood from clotting. She removed the needle and placed a band aid on the site. I was happy to have completed this milestone. The last two days were mentally and physically exhausting. I went home and crawled into bed, ending my day very early.