To Clamp or Not To Clamp

This is a copy of a Facebook post from Joe this afternoon.

"To clamp or not to clamp. That is the question! No wonder I've been feeling better: the little chemo pressurized ball that I take home for 46 hours was never unclamped! The Duke Infusion nurse came to take out my needle, etc. from the port and discovered that the ball was totally full. So, 46 hours more of wearing my little pouch and two more days of bird baths! Got those anti-nausea drugs going. Next time Jeff and I will double check everything VERY carefully before we leave the Cancer Center."

The little white clamp in the center of the photo is the culprit.  Of course the entire infusion ball, clamp and prescription paper goes inside Joe's shoulder/hip pouch he has to carry around for the 46 hours so you don't really see the clamp unless you take it all out of the pouch, which we almost never do.  However, I did take it out last night and we commented that it didn't look any smaller but he has had two different types of containers for the chemo so we just figured this was yet another kind.  Silly us.  We trusted the Home Health Infusion nurse to know what she was doing.  We won't make that mistake again.  

Of course it is times like these that mine and Joe's different temperaments really become apparent.  While he is of course annoyed and irritated that he has to lug around the infusion ball for another 46 hours, I am pissed off.  I've already gotten information on how to file a formal complaint against the offending nurse and will follow though with it.  I probably wouldn't have been as mad if not for a comment she made on Monday afternoon when Joe finished his 2 treatments at Duke and she came in to hook up the 5-Flu to his port.  "I sat here all afternoon with nothing to do and now all of a sudden all 5 need to be hooked up."  Even though she was smiling when she said it, I wanted to respond with something like I'm sure the cancer patients would prefer not to be up here getting treatment all day and inconveniencing you.  But I didn't.  After 8 1/2 hours, I just wanted to get Joe home.   Let me be perfectly clear.  I am NOT talking about one of the nurses at the Duke Cancer Center 4th floor infusion center.  Holly, Brenda, Jason (one of Joe's former Stedman Jr. High students) and all the others we have had take care of him for his infusions at the DCC are wonderful.  I am talking about a Duke Home Health Infusion nurse.  Up until now, all of them had been equally great.  This is the first time we have seen this particular nurse and if I have it my way, the last time!

I can handle lots of things, but Joe not getting proper health treatment is not one of them.  It's been 5 hours since I found out about this and I am still fuming!  Where is a punching bag when you need one?  The whole plan for switching to Monday treatments was that Joe would finish up the take home infusion on Wednesday, be able to have choir practice without a bag hanging around his neck,  and hopefully have the associated symptoms behind him well in advance of Sunday for his 2 church services.  Now he is in the choir room (as I type) having choir practice with the bag over his shoulder and the prospect of two extra days of nausea and other side effects to look forward to.  Forget the punching bag.  Anyone know where I can find a guillotine?  I'm ready for a head to roll!

Typing this really is my therapy.  Sitting in the dark in the church office at Joe's desk, typing away on the iPad while crying at the same time. (That's why the lights are off.  Not as embarrassing that way.)

Thanks for listening.