What My First Appointment was like...

     I have been chatting with a number of people lately and quickly realized I never posted about what the first treatment appointment at Envita was like. Some of the details are a bit fuzzy because Shawn couldn't sit with me (Covid) and ask his list of questions that would help keep everything straight. 

    Well, I am not sure what the next appointment might bring, but I can quickly run through what happened on this last, long Friday. 

    First, I waited in the waiting room (pictures on yesterday's page) until the nurse who takes my vitals came to get me. We went back into the treatment section of clinic and M--- took my blood pressure, weight and oxygen levels. At the beginning of this appointment, I also met Alyssa, who will be my main Nurse throughout my treatment. Alyssa seems very knowledgeable and was able to help manage the incredible amount of pain I had in my left hip. Quite honestly, I cried openly to her about the fact that I cannot sit at a 90 degree angle for any amount of time without shooting pain. My left hip is now constantly in pain, but Alyssa spoke with the pain management doctor they have on staff and they found some medicine to help. 

    After intros, I was assigned to a room and a seat for the day. These change daily, so who knows where I'll be tomorrow! After getting situated with my bag and charges and lunch bags, Alyssa brought in my list of treatments for the day. I forgot to get a list of all that I had done on Friday, but it was at least six different treatments. 

    "Treatments" tend to be different things injected into my port (it looks exactly like chemo and sometimes will be different chemo agents). Friday, there were a number of different immunotherapies which are formulated to strengthen my immune system while helping to fight the cancer. I will also have different nutrients and vitamins/minerals as well as fluids (normal IV Saline) on different days. Everything is especially formulated for my system and based on my personal blood work in the Envita lab. It's interesting and if I had less pain, I would definitely spend more time researching and writing about it all. 

    It was good to be surrounded by other patients and to ask about their experiences here. There were people being treated for numerous types of cancer as well as Lyme disease. Everyone I have spoken with so far has had great experience of Envita and the doctors and nurses. Listening to people getting ready to go home in the next few weeks gives me so much hope. 

    Friday night, we were so blessed to have a friend from Southern California who was here visiting his Mom come to visit us! He actually had spent some of the afternoon and evening with Shawn. What a blessing from God that He would have a friend here for my social, easily bored and then worried husband! And then I was able to see him for a small time as well. 

    The day and info had gotten me pretty tired and hungry. I was shocked to nearly finish an entire family helping of Pad Thai by myself for dinner. And then I crashed asleep. 

    I slept most of Saturday, but I should have pushed myself a bit more just to get up and move. Today, we've spent more time talking with family and figuring out the next few weeks until Christmas. We're still praying that I get in with the doctor Envita has referred me to who might be able to help with my really difficult pain.     

    Tomorrow, I have a much shorter appointment and we'll see what that brings. Thank you for your prayers, for your love and for offers of help and kindness. Please pray for the normal daily lives of my family which is difficult for all of us right now. I know you don't need to have Cancer to be suffering right now. God loves you. He values you. You are going to make it through. 

Jesus, I Trust in You.

Our friend, Steve! Aka - the person who took all the earlier Montana pics. Missed his wife the entire time!!