Chemo Sucks.

About 6 weeks ago, Steve was diagnosed with testicular cancer. A week later, he had a radical orchiectomy (they removed his right testicle). The results showed that it was definitely cancer...Seminoma, which is a slower growing and easier treated form of TC. His surgeon was confident that they removed all of the cancer, but his oncologist suggested that he do 1 -2 rounds of chemotherapy just to be safe. 

Here he is getting his infusion. Yes, I bucked up and went with to hold his hand. Despite the fact that it was in a hospital. With sick people. And doctors. And needles. And blood. I didn't even pass out! I may or may not have hyperventilated a couple of times when the nurse was trying to draw blood and decided it was a good idea to shout out things like, "the blood stopped flowing!", and "Jean, come over here and bring your tourniquet!". Oh, and I almost punched somebody in the face when I found out that the Pharmacist and Steve's doctor were having an argument about whether or not he should have "that big of a dose" of the carboplatin. Seriously - the pharmacist literally did not even want to prepare the meds for Steve, because he felt that it was much too large of a dose. Of poison. Awesome. But aside from all that, we both survived our first chemo experience. It's been almost a week now, and things are going ok. Thankfully, Steve is tough and very optimistic and calm. I am none of those things. So we are a good match, right? Right??? 

Anyway, I just wanted to say that my heart goes out to ANYONE who has ever had to go through chemo before. And to their caretakers. It is a difficult and stressful thing, and I've already found myself praying that he doesn't have to go through another round...please please let his doctor decide that this one mega-round was enough...I can't imagine if he had to do several rounds. Because I'm sure with each round it gets harder and harder for your body to bounce back. But if it means that the cancer doesn't come back, then I guess its worth it. And you would be surprised what people can handle. Without being able to drink away their problems.