Going with the Flow

Treatment for that giant thing in my head has finally commenced.  I started amphotericin a week ago, and the experience was kind of surreal.  I got my first dose in an oncology infusion room, but, this time, I wasn't a cancer patient (at least, that's the going hypothesis).  They were a bit confused when I showed up dressed for work.  But, after they inserted the PICC line and gave me the first dose, to the office I went.

Every night since, I have gone the through the little ritual of pulling out a bag of amphotericin (which looks deliciously like Limoncello), attaching it to a tube, sterilizing the hub at the end of my PICC line with alcohol (not the nice kind that's in Limoncello), rinsing the line with dextrose solution, and then attaching the line with the amphotericin.  All of this must be done while chanting in Latin while K/BWE slowly beats a rhythm on a large drum.  The insurance would not pay for the animal sacrifice, so we skip that part.*

I expect to be on this medicine for at least 4 weeks, but that's OK.  I don't feel sick.  I see my patients.**  I do the paperwork, make my phone calls, and go home.  I go on long hikes with Willow in the woods (or at least as long as we can stand it in the heat of the summer).  Life is pretty normal.  Let's hope that thing eating the inside of my head is having a harder time of it.

* All of the ritual is what's known as 'integrative medicine,' where we incorporate traditions thousands of years old into modern medicine.

** The PICC line is in my left upper arm, so it's covered by my shirt so as to avoid awkward questions.

Here I am in full Amphotericin infusion regalia as dictated by ancient rite.  Note the amphotericin in the IV bag.  (Do not be fooled.  It is not a refreshing summertime digestif.)  Note also the dignified light-up mushroom hat and the asparagus/EKG T-shirt, both given to me by the Great John R, who was the volunteer DJ at my wedding, thus the proper person to do so--these rituals are quite exacting.  (Where does one get an asparagus EKG shirt???)