Side Effects. The sequel

We left for Kansas City early Thursday morning for what was billed as a 3 hour appointment. This would be similar to a 3 hour tour for those of my generation. It started at 9AM and at 2PM the nurse announced "Now starts the 3 hour part". I should have been forewarned when all the proceedings leading up to the 3 hour part was putting fluids and anti-nausea medicine into by means of an IV. The 3 hour part was to give me chemotherapy that was, of course, more potent than my previous rounds (maybe they should have said "combined"). Another hint that evaded me of things to come was that they gave me a backpack with 2 pumps hooked to my PICC line. One was to continue to administer fluids as well as potassium (the potassium part will come into play later) while the other was to pump anti-nausea medicine on demand. They said to push the pump at the slightest hint of nausea. I used to think that I was a fairly intelligent person and could ascertain even some of the minutest subtleties but  I sure missed what was coming. I've decided to discuss the potassium now in my defense. When a person has diarrhea they will lose potassium. I don't think that is common knowledge. So we left the clinic at 6PM and ate supper at a salad bar. Wow, what a mistake. Anyway, one of my pumps starts beeping because it was malfunctioning. To those of you who follow my blog regularly this may sound familiar. If not click here. We were told at the clinic that if anything goes wrong to call the number on the side of the pump and they would talk us through the solution. We called the number and told them it said "Code 10". They said that it meant "motor failure" and that there was nothing they could do but we should call the clinic. The clinic asked which pump failed and I said the fluids one and they said that at least the anti-nausea one was still working and that was more important. So about midnight I felt an intense headache and thought "this is not nausea" so I didn't push the pump. I have a high tolerance for headaches so I didn't bother Velda from her sleep. About 3AM I couldn't take it any more so I awakened Velda to find out that we didn't bring pain relievers. To her defense we rarely have a need for them in our family. So we get in the van and go to get relief. At this point I feel nausea and press the pump for nausea. It beeps indicating that it is malfunctioning. We can't call the number on the side of the pump because Velda is driving and I am vomiting out of the passenger window. When we get home Velda calls the number because I am indisposed and the instructions given got the pump working but it did not stop my vomiting. The pump will not reset for 15 minutes so as not to overdose. Believe me I was watching the clock. Oh did I say that when we got back that the diarrhea started? My next appointment was for 1PM. So, if you count, this lasted for 10 hours. When we got to the clinic I could hardly sit for ejaculations coming from both ends. They finally got me settled at which point the attending nurse said "We just started using these new pumps and I don't think they are as good as the old ones". When we were finished I was feeling pretty good so we went to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art armed with a new pump. Absolutely incredible place! Part of the way through I felt nauseous and pressed the pump and it beeped indicating . . . We called the number and fortunately the nausea subsided without episode before they solved the problem. The clinic also gave me some pills as a backup and they are working just fine. Otherwise things are going as planned and my numbers are being evaluated as :"very good". Thanks for praying.