On Friday, 12/20/19 I dropped in on my oncology team with a 12 pack of Sprinkles cupcakes for my care team.  I got it for them to say thanks and Happy Holidays.  Adam mentions that he had been thinking about me the other day and was wondering where I had been.  I told him I was recovering and reconstructing with the final surgery currently scheduled for early March.  Apparently, though, there was a concern that I was completely unaware of which was that apparently I wasn't to have taken a "break" from the chemo as I have these past couple of months.

It was my understanding the treatment plan was "hard core" chemo for 6 rounds, followed by surgery, reconstruction, radiation, and then 12 to 14 rounds of "easy" chemo.  From the way it was described to me, it sounded as though it was in stages, and that the chemo was not a continual process.  I explained that to Adam, and indicated that at my last follow up with my oncologist there was no mention of continuation.  It was simply "good luck with the surgery."  I even texted my oncologist after the surgery letting him know I had made it and was alive.  Never did I believe I was to have been continuing my chemo this entire time.  When I mentioned something to the effect of how come no one thought to follow up with me after missing 2 rounds, he answered that it wasn't their responsibility to schedule my appointments.  I wasn't asking about scheduling, I know I do that.  I was concerned that there was no follow up AT ALL regarding the fact I hadn't been scheduled for anything.  Further, after the 6th round I got flowers and a card about how great I had done, etc.  I firmly believed I was to resume the treatments in the new year.  

Needless-to-say I was obviously upset wondering how this happened and who dropped the ball, but regardless it was being inferred that it was completely my fault.

I went ahead and scheduled an infusion and follow up for early January, then left.  During my drive I was called by the scheduler to inform me that my oncologist wanted me in next week, meaning the week of Christmas.  I'm not thrilled as it was the week of my birthday and Christmas, and I had plans for most of the week.  It didn't matter; I was rescheduled for 12/23/19.

Begrudgingly, along with a bit of a chip on my shoulder as to how this all went down, and how I was made to feel that I somehow screwed this up (not to mention my fear that having missed a couple of doses would somehow jeopardize my remission), I went to my appointment.  The office was overflowing with double booked patients, and despite the fact I was early, I was barely taken in on time.  Because I had spent the weekend with friends, and rescheduled while on my way to my friends' house, I wasn't able to prepare the port site for the infusion, thus I insisted they do the infusion through an IV.  I had also assumed, again to my detriment, that the infusion was only going to be about an hour as rounds 5 & 6 were.  Nope, I was being triple dosed, thus I was there for a total of about 5 hours.  I was miserable, definitely disgusted, and didn't appreciate the still slight inference this was my fault.  

I was still able to enjoy my prearranged plans for Monday evening, which included a fabulous dinner with my kids and then a visit to the LA Zoo Lights, but I'm still a bit bent about this whole process.  I'm now scheduled for the next 4 infusions taking me into April, and will obviously have a more in depth conversation with my oncologist at my follow up on January 3rd regarding this.  Thankfully I have had little to no side effects from the triple dose and was able to enjoy the holidays immensely, but I'm back to the infusions every 3 weeks.