So this is my final full day of chemo for this round. If you're having inpatient chemotherapy, it's your last day where you want to pay particular attention to the infusion rates on the machines and, relatedly, the volume to be infused. I have had recurrent issues with these numbers, and no, it's not just me being a math nerd.
Instead it turns out that there is anywhere from 1 to 3 hours worth of normal solution left in the bag even when the machine says the bag is done. This is natural: the chemo mass actually adds a bit of volume to the overall solution. But, since my infusions must be given over 24 hours (+/- a few minutes Max) it requires a bit of recalibration on our end to ensure that the 24 hour cycle remains intact.
Gone unnoticed or unchecked as it did during my second cycle, you could find yourself in a situation that puts you 6 or more hours beyond your expected completion time. And by the time I'm dealing with twice the original dose (during cycle 6) the added mass could add a whole day even. Since this can't happen, it's important that you remain informed about your treatment and in constant communication with your doctors and nurses.
In my case, my doctor appreciated me pointing this out. The nature of my treatment is to increase the dosage sequentially over the SAME time period in order to allow the chemo to be as aggressive as the cancer. If the time frame had been accidentally extended because of a simple oversight about the basic rules of physics, then I might never have received the optimal dosage that is associated with the treatment's high rate of efficacy.
But this is starting to get a little mathy, when there is a general point to be made here. IF YOU THINK SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT, ASK QUESTIONS!!! Remember that your prognosis is as much a function of what the doctor does as of what you do. The best outcomes arise when a partnership is formed between the healthcare provider and an informed, yet respectful and humble, patient.
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