Infusion | Team Denise!

Tag: Infusion

Saturday, September 19th, 2009

Zometa Infusion #4

Got my 4th Zometa infusion yesterday.

Number 1 was at Burzynski Clinic. It hit me hard…

Number 2 was at North Cypress Ambulatory Infusion Clinic. Thank goodness the 2nd infusion was not that bad…

Number 3 was at North Cypress Ambulatory Infusion Clinic. Again, it was not that bad!

And, again, Number 4 was at North Cypress Ambulatory Infusion Clinic, again – wasn’t bad. Though I did actually see the infusion needle for the first time – I mean Really Looked At It… and That Sucker Is BIG. I’m talking Horse Sticker Big. B.I.G. At least that’s how it looked to me… and I kinda froze up for a minute and they had to stop and wait for me to compose myself. Not a ~Total~ Freak Out, but I was a taken back by the needle and turned into a weenie. And I cried… again

Reminder to self – DON’T Look At That Needle!!

Do.Not.Look.

To overview:

ZOMETA is (also) used to treat patients with other cancers—including breast‚ lung and prostate cancer—that have spread to the bones‚ a process called bone metastasis. When cancer has spread to the bone‚ treatment with ZOMETA helps to protect bones and may reduce or delay such complications as:
* Bone fracture
* Need for radiation and/or surgery to bone
* Spinal cord compression

I also had the blood drawn for my monthly lab work, my tumor markers… Should get those results early next week. HOPING they continue to show improvement!

The TOTAL of my charges – receiving the Zometa, compounding the Zometa for infusion, infusion procedure utilizing my port AND the necessary bloodwork to access my levels and tumor markers was $320.00. Plus $15 for each of the 5 blood tests.

Awesome…

And Once Again, they provided a nice lunch!!

Thanks to North Cypress Medical Center Ambulatory Infusion Therapy Center!

We met Christine & Rob at Taipei for dinner. Mom and I split a Spider Roll, California Roll, Crunchy Roll and Chicken Lettuce Package – Yum and the California Roll and Crunchy Roll were on Special for 99cents each!

Then I Pushed myself some more and we went to Christine & Rob’s home and played a couple of boardgames (my weakness). We played Gemlok and Rummibuk. Yes, boardgames are my passion…

When we got home, I Totally crashed – I was Exhausted and kinda achy. But I slept well – only waking up once that I remember, which is a Big Difference from the typically 3 – 4 times per night! A Welcome Difference.

Mom took too many photos…

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Tags: Infusion, Zometa

Posted in Gene Therapy Drugs | 5 Comments »

Friday, August 14th, 2009

Zometa Infusion #3

Got my 3rd Zometa infusion today.

Number 1 was at Burzynski Clinic. It hit me hard…

Number 2 was at North Cypress Ambulatory Infusion Clinic. Thank goodness the 2nd infusion was not that bad…

Number 3 – today – was also at North Cypress Ambulatory Infusion Clinic. Hoping that it is also, not bad.

I need Zometa, need to be able to tolerate it.

To overview:

I also had some blood drawn for my monthly lab work, my tumor markers…

Again, the TOTAL of my charges – receiving the Zometa, compounding the Zometa for infusion, infusion procedure utilizing my port AND the necessary bloodwork to access my levels and tumor markers was $315.00. Plus $15 for each of the 7 blood tests (the extra tests done every 3rd month) – at a Huge savings for me!!

Awesome…

And Again, they provided a nice lunch!!

Again – Thanks to North Cypress Medical Center Ambulatory Infusion Therapy Center!

Mom took phots, I’ll get them posted later.

Now.. I am tired, very tired… and I’m gonna get to bed.

Tags: Infusion, Zometa

Posted in Gene Therapy Drugs, Gene Therapy Regime, scared | 8 Comments »

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

Zometa Infusion #2 – Reaction Timed Out

The good news is that the reaction was Nothing like last time…

The bad new is… well, bad news is that I still have cancer…

Seriously, my fever fluctuated from 98.8 to at 99.1, and the aches are there – but they are minimal, and very tolerable compared to last time. Muscle aches, exhaustion and thats “about it”. I have spend most of the day on the couch and minimal puttering around the house. Had a 4th of July party to go to, but didn’t feel like getting out.

Mom, of course, called several times, Carol B called to check on me, and my neighbor, Julie touched base a few times.

Not much else to do… as Mr. Sack used to say – It Is What It Is.

And cancer is what it is.

Happy July 4th…

Tags: Cliff Grimes, Clifford F Grimes, Clifford Grimes, Dallas, Infusion, Mr. Sack, Zometa

Posted in Dealing with Gene Therapy Drug Reactions, Gene Therapy Drug Reactions | 1 Comment »

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

Congratulations, It’s An Infusion!

Today I got my Zometa Infusion! YAY! It was done at North Cypress Medical Center Ambulatory Infusion Therapy Center.

And I Have to say, it was Such a Professional and Uplifting experience!

I was treated with Such Kindness, even though I have no insurance, the staff was Very Generous and Attentive! With my financial situation, I secretly feel like a “beggar” of sorts, but that feeling was minimal today, and was in No Way caused by the Staff of the Infusion center… they were Friendly, Kind and I felt they were Truly Concerned and Cared about me and what I am going through. They took time to sit and talk with me, and To Listen.

The Ladies who took care of me were Patti, Teila, Becky and Sharon. Theye were Awesome! Of course, I’m still dealing with “emotional residue” from the chemo treatments, so whenever a needle comes close to my port, I kinda “fall apart”… not too bad, but I do cry and get emotional. But these Ladies were kind and took it all in stride.

It’s a Tough situation being in, having no insurance, having to ask for assistance… and medical expenses are Very high. But Today I Got A Break.

O.M.G. $315.00!! I Can Actually “Afford” That!!!

Which means that I Can Afford To Continue Treatment!!!

Which Means I Can Afford the Fight To Live!!!!

And they even provided a nice lunch!!

THANK YOU North Cypress Medical Center Ambulatory Infusion Therapy Center!!

I can take a breath and relax… until the next hit.

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Tags: Infusion, Zometa

Posted in appreciation, Emotions, Medical Procedures, North Cypress Medical Center - Infusion Therapy Center, Nurses | 5 Comments »

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

Houston, We Have Infusion… kinda, maybe, hopefuly

So… every day is an adventure.

Novartis wasn’t able to ship my Rx of Zometa out until today (Wednesday) for a Friday delivery. So my Thursday appointment had to be rescheduled, because the meds won’t be there. And I was Very concerned since we aren’t working Friday, that the Infusion Center would also be closed, and the delivery – which is Supposed to be refrigerated – would be stuck for 3 days in the heat… But… Thank Goodness, They Are Open and – Pending Delivery – they have rescheduled me for a Friday infusion.

Of course, they are not sure what time UPS will delilver, and I’m still waiting to get tracking information, so I am kinda on “stand-by” for Friday. And since I don’t have a cell phone, I can’t be out running errands that I could be doing, I’ll have to stay at home, close to the phone.

But At Least I’ll Be Getting My Infusion!

I’m Hoping it will help with all the bone pain I have been experiencing for the past couple of weeks…

Tags: Infusion, Novartis, Zometa

Posted in Emotions, frustration, Medical Procedures, North Cypress Medical Center - Infusion Therapy Center, scared, tired | 4 Comments »

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Houston, We Have Infusion!

So I’ve got the final OK – I have found a location to receive my Much Needed and Long Overdue infusion of Zometa! YAY!

Much Needed and Long Overdue by 2 weeks. Two weeks that have past while I was struggling to find a solution to a problem that should NOT have existed.

The location will be North Cypress Medical Center – Ambulatory Infusion Therapy Center. Let’s hope their infusion procedures are better than the PET/CT Scan procedures of the North Cypress Medical Center Imaging Center which – supposedly – are not quite as close to protocol as they should be…

I’ve talked with Novartis Oncology Patient Assistance Program, and they are good to ship my “new” prescription of Zometa directly to the NCMC Infusion Therapy Center Pharmacy, so the Burzynski Clinic will have no handling of the 3 small vials of Zometa, so there SHOULD be no need for any $1500/month charge for “Medicine Management”.

The total infusion charges will now be $310.78 per month (just a little bit higher than originally suggested, but still Much lower than the $1000 at the Burzynski Clinic)… this will include receiving the Zometa, compounding the Zometa for infusion, infusion procedure utilizing my port and storage of the vials.

I am scheduled for this upcoming Thursday – July 02. If it hits me as hard as it did last time, I’m gonna have a helluva July 4th… And since Mom will be in Corpus with Dad, recovering from his surgery, I’ll be doing this one alone… ~sigh~

The “good news” though, is that the extreme symptoms I experienced with my first Zometa infusion were uncommon, and the more common “mild” flu-like symptoms usually occur with first treatment only.

Let’s Hope.

Tags: Infusion, Zometa

Posted in Dr. R. Taylor, Gene Therapy Drugs, hope, Medical Procedures, North Cypress Medical Center, tired | 5 Comments »

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