7 Taxols, 8 Days of Parenthood

Friday was my first post-pregnancy Taxol infusion. My mom came with me while Kevin stayed home with Finn. Leaving him was hard. I may have cried a bit. Can we blame that on hormones? Yes? Good. Kevin sent pictures to keep me entertained.

 It's probably good that when we left, I thought it'd be just a three-ish hour infusion. Three hours I could get my mind around. However, when we got there, the nurse told me my hematocrit was still quite low at 25, and that I may need another blood transfusion. She got me started on my premeds and let the PA know I was there. The PA came by a bit later and asked a few questions, particularly about how I've been feeling, my energy level, and my breathing. Since yesterday I felt more exhaustion than I normally feel on Mondays after Taxol (my worst day for that), it was a pretty easy decision to agree to the transfusion, even though it would add on several hours to my time in the infusion center.

Typically, they'd infuse two units for someone in my situation, but since I'd just had the two, and it was so late in the day (transfusions take about three hours per unit), I just got the one today.
I was still able to get my Taxol, so that keeps me on schedule there (yay!), and I finished it about half an hour before my blood was ready. I closed out the infusion center, finally finishing a couple minutes after 5.

The whole time we were there, I felt wide awake and alert and knew that attempting to sleep would be futile. It wasn't until the last forty or so minutes that I decided I'd just close my eyes, even if I didn't sleep, and I think I got about a twenty minute nap in. Every minute counts, right?
Several of the office staff and my regular nurses stopped by to see pictures and ask how we were doing. I'm not going to lie; it was fun showing off pictures and talking about how awesome Finn is. They also liked my awesome new socks from my sister Caren.

 I couldn't believe how much better I felt post-transfusion. I had more energy than I'd had in weeks, and I was amazed to find I could make it up two flights of stairs, do what I needed to do, and come back downstairs, all without a break. For a while now, I've needed to lay down after going upstairs, just to recoup the energy. It was getting pretty ridiculous.

Unfortunately, I overdid it. My sister Kathleen, her husband Will, and their 11-month-old Graham came in for the weekend on Friday night. Kathleen and Mom both offered to take any feedings during the night, and I told them I'd get them if needed. I did not. Finn pulled an all-nighter, waking for his 11pm feeding and not going to sleep for more than ten minutes at a stretch until 5am. Every time I thought ok, it's time to wake someone up, he'd fall asleep, and I'd think we were in the clear. Then I'd lay him down and he'd start crying again. Eventually, he took a whole bottle and fell into a deep sleep, and I was able to go to bed as well. I slept about four and a half hours, got up for a bit to have breakfast and visit with everyone, then went back to sleep for another hour or so.

Cousins!

Throughout the day, I still felt better than I had before the transfusion, but nowhere near as good as I had Friday evening. I went to bed around 10pm and, with Kathleen on baby duty, slept until nearly 9. It was amazing.

Here's Finn at exactly one week old. Yes, I cried.

Sunday was much better. I was careful to make myself rest more, despite feeling antsy all day and wanting to be active. In the afternoon, Kathleen asked if there were any wineries nearby, and I told her about Boordy's, which is just ten minutes away. She asked if I was up for an adventure, and I said yes.

I was smart enough to recognize that I shouldn't try to do the tour, but we did enjoy a tasting and sitting under the pine trees while Finn slept in his stroller and Graham played in the grass. I have spent very little time outside lately, so it was a big boost to my energy and spirits.

Will made us delicious burgers (all that iron in red meat!) and mashed potatoes and cut up a perfectly ripe cantaloupe for dinner, and we've spent the evening watching Will Ferrell movies and now the boys are having a blast on Rock Band while Finn snoozes in my arms.

Life is good.