#PODLife

Now that I have been here nearing a week, I am getting the lay of the land. And from what I can tell, in many ways it functions like college. On Day One you lug your luggage to admissions and obtain your room number and allow your luggage to be tagged. The difference is that as an adult we could afford valet parking, which gets us a little closer to the actual admissions area rather than doing the hike from the furthest parking garage with the rest of the newbies or commuters. Another bonus is that the admissions staff at the hospital takes your luggage to your designated living space, while you undergo your first activity. Maybe someone who went to a private college where this occurred wouldn’t see how this was anything special, but I went to UMASS and lived on the 22nd floor of a tower and my roommate and I only had one trip a piece for the elevator and about a zillion bags. So this time having my zillion bags brought up for me was like winning the door prize.

My first activity (putting in my Hickman line) ran over like a bad lecture about Student Living and I didn’t arrive to my room until the evening. So my bags were all jumbled in the corner of my cramped new space. I was too exhausted at that point to care, but it was oddly reminiscent of my corner room my freshman year. Freshman year, my roommate and I landed a corner room, one of the four worst rooms on the twenty second floor of the tower. The space was so small that we had to loft a bed and stack our desks so we didn’t have to climb over other furniture or each other. This room wasn’t that bad, but I definitely had to be acutely aware of my maneuverability. It had a similar view to my college dorm as well, both were of the building next door. The night nurse told me not to get too settled because I would probably move in a few days, which I was able to do. And my new room was amazing better than any z room UMASS had to offer. It was also the room I was shamelessly scoping out during my daily laps in the pod (instead of the quad). My day nurse (who is awesome) told me on Easter that my new room was ready and it had a surprise waiting in it and boy did it ever. My soon to be mother in law and pretty much all the nurses on the floor helped me haul my luggage three doors down to a room with a much nicer view and an even better 50 inch flat screen television. It was a donation from a community member and it circulates throughout the hospital. I’m glad to have it for my stay, it would have been seriously useful in college, especially when the Sox were on. Thanks to Adrienne, I unpacked and officially settled in to my new residence for the next month or so. The picture went up, drawers were stuffed, toiletries set up in my private bath (again something I wish I had in college). All in all, my spacious new digs were an added bonus.

Just like college, you essentially follow a schedule that you get credit for. The big difference is how these credits are calculated and used. One set is accumulated over four years for graduation the other over your stay for discharge. In a collegiate environment you get credits for grades, here you get credits for being an active patient. One who gets up and does laps in the pod (I try to do at least 30 minutes a day), one who eats the amounts preset by the dietitians, and drinks the desired amounts of fluid to avoid secondary issues. They credit the amount fluid you intake and the amount that is voided. I mean that literally. Every time you use the ladies, you pee into the hat and the amount is recorded. Not something I ever thought I’d discuss publicly or receive credits for. You also get points for mouth care, taking your meds, etc. All of this helps build your transcripts (patient history) but the blood work numbers will be the deciding factor on when you can be discharged. I like to think of them as the final.

As of right now, I get up around 5 and begin the mouth care regimen, wait for my vitals and morning meds, and then take a walk in the pod. It’s an easy phys ed credit. Walking for 20 minutes individually or dancing if you have your partner (Issac Victor Pole – I.V. Pole).

After that I have someone tape up my hickman line with what is basically press and seal Glad wrap so I can shower. Showering is my absolute favorite part of the day, because you get some real privacy (unlike in college) and because you are free from the pole. I get dressed in one of my individually pre-packed outfits that is comprised of pants, a tank top, shirt and coordinating headscarf. Then I’m ready for the day, I find things to do to stay busy like crossword puzzle with Steph via speakerphone, talk and text to my family, chat with visitors, color, grade, draw, etc. I order room service, although the food quality is similar to the dining hall of most campuses. At night, I FaceTime with Josh and Jax and get bed ready. I’m usually in bed by 8:30.

I’ve had my chemo cocktails for the last five days in a row and I can say the drugs here are better than in college, mainly because they prevent you from the hangover that follows a night of partying. This morning I had full body radiation and feel like I laid out in the sun all day. I’m just as tired as if I had done that and laid out in the quad in the nice spring weather. So today, I’ll get some rest because tomorrow is my the big day. DAY O, when I get my new immune system! And then I’ll be twenty, and ready to relive my college days?