The cancer center has several recliner type chairs in a large room for patients to try to relax while receiving treatment. An hour before treatment I had to put the numbing cream on the skin above the port and cover it with saran wrap to keep it in place. The nurse cleaned the area and then stuck the IV needle into the the port (no pain). The treatment took about 3 hours. I got very sleepy about halfway into it. Patients are allowed to eat, watch tv, read, listen to music, talk...whatever. After treatment was complete the nurse removed the needle (painful, and there was a sucking sound as it came out of the port). Took antinausea meds that night and in the morning.
Next day, I went for an injection of a drug (possibly called Neulasta?) to help increase the production of white blood cells. Injection was given on the back side of my right arm, under the skin. Since the WBCs are produced in the bone marrow the main side effect of the drug is severe bone pain. A couple of days later I experienced a back ache with most of the pain in the lower back.
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