Packing for the Hospital.

Taking:
- courage
- DVD and DVDs - Gilmore girls, Sister Wendy Beckett, Pretty in Pink, any other movies that look light and funny
- new PJs (didn't own any PJs before this)
- Vanity Fair and Wired magazines
- book: "Labyrinth" by Kate Mosse
- husband, M
- MP3 player

Leaving Behind:
- pride
- comfortable bed
- freedom from toting IV stand everywhere
- uninterrupted sleep
- normal peeing rate (I'm up to pee every half hour because of the hydration - it's as bad as pregnancy)

This is my second treatment so at least I have some idea of what to expect this time. Let's see: I go to the Cancer Agency, go up to the 5th floor, check in with the nurses, get a room (hopefully a private one but I doubt I'll get it), nurse will come to draw blood and then start an IV, start hydration with solution to make my pee alkaline, wait for chemo drugs to arrive, watch a movie or maybe write, hopefully talk to my doctor (Dr.P), take anti-nausea pills, feel weird/foggy because of the pills, receive a shotful of dactinomyacin (aka. Act-D or actinomyacin) through IV, then slow drip of methotrexate (yellow) with saline (feels cold because the saline is cold) for an hour or so, more movies, reading, play scrabble, etc. for the rest of the night, more Act-D in the morning (needle full) and wait for a few hours, hopefully hear about what my levels are, take 3 pills of calcium leukovarin (rescues cells from dying from methotrexate), then IV is removed, armhair ripped off by nurse when taking off tape that holds IV line, change and then I'm a FREE woman again.

Did I forget anything? Oh yeah, things like living next to someone else who has cancer, feeling heartbroken to hear them cry and have their bedpan changed, beeping during the night from the stupid IV machine, hanging out and laughing with my fabulous husband, visiting with family that come to visit, bad (I'm not exaggerating) hospital food and.....that's about it I think.

I can handle all that. As long as there's no surprises.