Eighteen hours post-chemo

I received my first chemo treatment eighteen hours ago and so far so good. I've had a mild headache, but it's quite possible that it's from having my hair in a ponytail for too long.  (only me, right?)

The medication that I am being treated with is called "Navelbine." Many patients refer to it with a chuckle as "Navy Beans." Nausea is a common side-effect, but I was given medicine though my IV to prevent it and it worked like a charm!

I do have some vein discoloration in my arm where the Navelbine was injected. It doesn't hurt, but there is a definite reddish tint to my vein rather than it's normal bluish-purple color.  Navelbine is a vesicant which means it is a chemical that causes extensive tissue damage and blistering if it escapes from the vein.  I think I just have normal discoloration, but it is something I'll have to keep an eye on. I'm very hopeful that it doesn't worsen. 

Navelbine is somewhat unique among chemotherapy drugs. Many chemotherapy drugs are completely synthetic, but Navelbine is only partially synthetic and is extracted from the periwinkle flower. I think I'll visualize this pretty little purple flower during treatment next week. 

Navelbine prevents cells from dividing by fusing with the microtubules inside a cell's cytoplasm. Remember mitosis and meiosis from biology class?  Because Navelbine prevents normal cell division, it can both slow the spread of cancers and kill existing cancer cells.  I'll take both options, please!?!