We have gotten into the “Infusion Center” which is a rabbit warren of little rooms filled with people who are paying lots of money to be poisoned in very particular ways that were dreamed up by people who went to school for far too long.  A big Thank You to all of them.

We have been in the room for 90 minutes and all Loretta has gotten is stuff to protect her from the effects of the stuff they are about to give her.  Most of it is anti-nausea medications that try to counteract the effect of having your entire gut attacked by the chemotherapy drugs.  All of this is accompanied by gallons of salt water which makes the bathroom a very popular place.  Imagine a line of people, some with hair, all pushing a groaning, beeping, clanking IV tree with multiple bags, syringes and electrical devices.

Actually, it isn’t like that at all except for the bathroom being very popular, the IV trees with the groaning, beeping and clanking electronics hanging with multiple bags and syringes of clear and brightly colored fluids and some of the people do, indeed, have hair.  It isn’t an unpleasant place and there are plenty of bathrooms.  AND, there is a room called the “Nutrition Center” that has a lot of fun snacks and drinks for the patients.  You gotta love a place with a free kitchen.  I’m thinking about swiping and cheese stick or two.

Anyway, now it’s time for the real chemo.  Bright red so you know to stay away from it.  The people who have to handle it always wear gloves and cover themselves with plastic.  Once they have double- and triple-checked that the right poison is in place for the right person, they pump it straight into Loretta’s heart.  It’s all very exciting.