4th vaccination.

Today I was scheduled for my 4th vaccination and a visit with my Oncologist. I arrived approximately 45 minutes early to my appointment with my doctor and was (un)pleasantly surprised that she had scheduled me for some blood work prior to my meeting with her. YAY! I'm not sure if it was because I didn't have much time to react or because I'm (gasp!) actually getting better with getting stabbed but I did super well! No crying, no weird anxiety...it was actually as if I could handle it. Could I possibly be getting over my phobia?

I know that when people have anxiety towards a certain thing a lot of times they're treated by being exposed to whatever it is that they're anxious about. Maybe by constantly having to deal with this crap it's actually helping me get over it or at least make it tolerable for me. We'll see.

I was in and out with the blood work, vitals and finally meeting with my doctor. I made sure to complain about that nasty bitch I had to meet with in her place the last time I had a check up. She told me she "wasn't surprised" with what I had to say - I'm guessing others had the same complaints I did. Like, what the hell? If people are complaining about her then why keep her on this Trial? It's not my fault she's a miserable shrew. Whatev. I told my doctor that if for some reason in the future she wasn't available I would absolutely not meet with that other asshole. Done and done.

I also told her that my ribs were still killing me. Lately they feel like they're even more sore then they were last month (not to mention I'm still all numb). Perhaps it's because I'm not really free-boobin' it a lot lately. I'm working and then going out after and not really lettin' it all hang out until I get home at night. Anyway, my doctor decided to check them out by pressing her fingers into the sore spots...! So not only were they sore before she checked them but they were that much worse after I left my appointment with her. Always a good time at Sloan. Lucky for me I had hours of bra-wearing time left...

Because they have to wait for the results of my blood work to come back on days when I meet with the doctor before they can thaw out my vaccination, I was informed that it would take an hour and 1/2 to two hours before I could get my injection.

My dad and I headed to dinner, walked around the city, got some cupcakes at Crumbs and sat at Barnes and Noble for a bit. We headed back and were called in right away...where we wound up sitting for an hour more...waiting. How I love wasting time.

The vaccination was quick and wasn't as painful as it normally is. Even now, over 3 hours later, my arm isn't red or swollen and doesn't really hurt. I guess I'll see what it looks like tomorrow. I told the nurse to give me the shot a little lower then she normally does because I have my first real vocal gig since surgery coming up on Wednesday with my ladies, The Bar-Top Bandits (look us up), and I'm going to cover up the giant blotch with a bandanna tied around my arm.

At least I can try to look decent since my stupid voice might not be full force. My allergies are TERRIBLE. My ears are clogged, my throat is scratchy, my nose is running, my head is congested and my face is schnozy. Yes...schnozy. It's not a good thing. I might as well have a nasty cold. Leave it to me to have a serious vocal performance and be sick for it. I remember in high school I was legit sick for every single show I was in. Every single one. I would be backstage chugging tea with lemon and honey and sucking like I've never sucked before on cough drop after cough drop after cough drop. Something tells me I'm going to have some deja vu on Wednesday. Not good. Hopefully it all goes well.

I have my next appointment at Sloan next Monday...at 6:45pm. So I get to work a full work day then rush into the city to get 10 vials of blood drawn! What a great day that will be! I guess I just  need to take it one day at a time. Today wasn't terrible. And after this next appointment I won't have another one until early December. I guess that's something to look forward to...although I'll be getting my first CT Scan's since I started the Trial at that time. I'm both nervous and excited to get the scans. Nervous because of what might or might not show up and excited for what might or might not show up.

Hopefully I can start my Cancer-free anniversaries again. Fingers crossed.

So now I'm home, relaxing...feet up, binding bra off...blowing my nose every 9 minutes, sneezing every 7 minutes and dabbing the tears seeping out of my watery eyes every 4 minutes. These crappy Kleenex tissues feel like sandpaper and I can't stop peeing because I must have drank 38 cups of tea today. Ah, all in a day in the life of a chick with bad allergies.

At least I'm in the company of a little man who wants to make out despite my appearance...