Your Lucky Stars
Chapter 4
“Good morning Mrs. Armstrong, Mr. Armstrong. How are we this morning?” The cheerful, dark skinned doctor asked as she took a seat behind her desk. Adrienne and Billie Joe were sitting opposite of her on the edges of their seats, worried.
“I’m as well as I can be at the moment Dr. Hassel,” Adrienne managed to say in a pleasant tone. Billie Joe had a firm grip on her hand and his jaw was set firm on his pale features. If it was possible, he was more scared than Adrienne.
“Okay,” Dr. Hassel nodded her head and opened a folder, “We are going to start you off on chemotherapy Mrs. Armstrong. This is a relatively new format of the treatment that we’re going to start you on. This,” she held up a box that looked like a first aide case but firmly held well padded needles and bottles, “is your first round. Each bottle is marked with what it is, what it does, and how often you should take it. Any questions?”
Adrienne’s eyes flickered over each glass bottle, “What are the side effects?”
“It differs from woman to woman,” Dr. Hassel explained as she handed Adrienne the box to examine more closely, “Generally you will experience extreme tiredness, you’ll feel sick like vomiting and or nausea, sores in your mouth are a possibility, anemia, certain foods will no longer appeal to you, you’ll be weak,”
“Will I loose my hair?”
Dr. Hassel gave Adrienne a small smile, “More than likely. Some women do not experience hair loss but the majority do. However, the great thing about hair is that it always grows back when you’re done with the treatment. You may gain or loose weight, it depends, and you may be extremely tired or unable to sleep at all, it all depends on your body. Your sex drive will also go down as the treatment wears on.”
“But this way, with this type of treatment, she can still be at home, she doesn’t have to be in the hospital.” Billie Joe finally said something, his white knuckled grip firm on Adrienne’s hand.
“That’s the idea.” Dr. Hassel nodded and folded her hands in front of her, “However, by her next checkup, if we’re not satisfied with the treatment, Mrs. Armstrong, you will be admitted to the hospital for much more intense therapy and possibly surgery, but that is always a last resort.”
Billie Joe nodded, still quite pale. Adrienne took a deep breath and released it slowly, “So, do I start now?”
“Now.” Dr. Hassel came over to the couple and showed them how to prepare the treatment. “You know,” Dr. Hassel looked at Billie Joe, “it’s always great to have the spouse of the patient during this. I know it’s difficult and you should learn how to do this correctly in case she gets too weak before her checkup. You’re a winner.”
“He tries,” Adrienne said as she bit her lip as the needles irritated her skin, “But I keep him around.”
“Okay, we’re done.” Dr. Hassel stepped back and patted Adrienne on the back. “Your first one is over.”
“Will I get sick today?” Adrienne rubbed her arm at the tender injection site.
“Possibly. Some women get sick within the hour and it takes some six hours before it hits. It all depends on the woman and it generally becomes routine with the physical sick. By the end of the week you should be able to work your schedule around it.” Dr. Hassel stepped back behind her desk and looked at the couple.
“With your treatment, there are going to have to be life changes to help you along and to reduce the risk of infections because your immune system will be weak during this time from the chemo. Wash your hands a lot,” Dr. Hassel stressed ‘a lot’ with her hands, “wear gloves when you’re cleaning or doing gardening, always wear shoes on your feet, when you have sex, it has to be very gentle and lubricated. Small tears or breaks in the vagina can become easily infected and set you back.”
Adrienne noticed the slightly dip in Billie Joe’s head and squeezed his hand. She knew his sexual style and she also knew he would do everything in his manly power to be completely gentle with her now.
“Do not take any sort of aspirin or aceaminophen for any sort of fever or pain without consulting me first.” Dr. Hassel stood up, “Do you have any questions for me?” When the Armstrongs shook their heads, she escorted them out of her office. “If you have any problems or questions, contact me immediately.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Both Billie Joe and Adrienne were quiet as they drove home from the doctor’s office. Each were thinking of what had happened and what was to come. They still had not told Joey and Jakob what was going on, but they knew they would have to do it soon.
Billie Joe changed the radio station as static filled the speakers. He surfed through the variety of stations before just turning the volume completely down and sighed. He turned his head to look at his bride of twelve, going on thirteen years. She had her arms crossed at her stomach and she was looking out the window with a desperately sad look on her face.
Billie Joe reached over and pulled her hand in his. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles and hummed softly.
“Whatcha thinking?”
Adrienne shrugged and shifted down lower in her seat. “I’m kind of not feeling very good.”
“Can you wait until we get off the interstate?” Billie Joe looked over at her over the top of his sunglasses and noticed the ashen look that had come over her. “But I’ll pull over if you want me to.”
Adrienne shook her head and pulled her legs up to her. “No, I’ll be fine. Just turn the air on please.”
Billie Joe let go of her hand to turn on the cool air and his vision swapped from watching the road in front of him to Adrienne, who was breathing deeply and had broken out into a slight sweat.
“We’ll be home in ten minutes Adie, just hang on.”
Adrienne pressed her lips together and nodded. She moaned a little bit and grabbed onto the handle. “Billie pull over now.”
Billie Joe jerked over to the side of the interstate, narrowly missing a minivan just in time for Adrienne to push the door open and hurl her insides onto the concrete below. She coughed and gagged as the vomit spilled out. Honks from passing cars echoed in her head in embarrassment.
“Shhhh,” Billie Joe rubbed her back soothingly as Adrienne released the sick from her system. Once Adrienne ejected what she could, she slouched back into her seat and rubbed her mouth with a fast food napkin Billie Joe handed her.
“Thank you.”
“It’s okay. Do you feel better or do we need to stay for a few more minutes?”
Adrienne took deep breaths again and let out a shaky breath. “You can go. Just get home fast before it happens again.”
“I’m as well as I can be at the moment Dr. Hassel,” Adrienne managed to say in a pleasant tone. Billie Joe had a firm grip on her hand and his jaw was set firm on his pale features. If it was possible, he was more scared than Adrienne.
“Okay,” Dr. Hassel nodded her head and opened a folder, “We are going to start you off on chemotherapy Mrs. Armstrong. This is a relatively new format of the treatment that we’re going to start you on. This,” she held up a box that looked like a first aide case but firmly held well padded needles and bottles, “is your first round. Each bottle is marked with what it is, what it does, and how often you should take it. Any questions?”
Adrienne’s eyes flickered over each glass bottle, “What are the side effects?”
“It differs from woman to woman,” Dr. Hassel explained as she handed Adrienne the box to examine more closely, “Generally you will experience extreme tiredness, you’ll feel sick like vomiting and or nausea, sores in your mouth are a possibility, anemia, certain foods will no longer appeal to you, you’ll be weak,”
“Will I loose my hair?”
Dr. Hassel gave Adrienne a small smile, “More than likely. Some women do not experience hair loss but the majority do. However, the great thing about hair is that it always grows back when you’re done with the treatment. You may gain or loose weight, it depends, and you may be extremely tired or unable to sleep at all, it all depends on your body. Your sex drive will also go down as the treatment wears on.”
“But this way, with this type of treatment, she can still be at home, she doesn’t have to be in the hospital.” Billie Joe finally said something, his white knuckled grip firm on Adrienne’s hand.
“That’s the idea.” Dr. Hassel nodded and folded her hands in front of her, “However, by her next checkup, if we’re not satisfied with the treatment, Mrs. Armstrong, you will be admitted to the hospital for much more intense therapy and possibly surgery, but that is always a last resort.”
Billie Joe nodded, still quite pale. Adrienne took a deep breath and released it slowly, “So, do I start now?”
“Now.” Dr. Hassel came over to the couple and showed them how to prepare the treatment. “You know,” Dr. Hassel looked at Billie Joe, “it’s always great to have the spouse of the patient during this. I know it’s difficult and you should learn how to do this correctly in case she gets too weak before her checkup. You’re a winner.”
“He tries,” Adrienne said as she bit her lip as the needles irritated her skin, “But I keep him around.”
“Okay, we’re done.” Dr. Hassel stepped back and patted Adrienne on the back. “Your first one is over.”
“Will I get sick today?” Adrienne rubbed her arm at the tender injection site.
“Possibly. Some women get sick within the hour and it takes some six hours before it hits. It all depends on the woman and it generally becomes routine with the physical sick. By the end of the week you should be able to work your schedule around it.” Dr. Hassel stepped back behind her desk and looked at the couple.
“With your treatment, there are going to have to be life changes to help you along and to reduce the risk of infections because your immune system will be weak during this time from the chemo. Wash your hands a lot,” Dr. Hassel stressed ‘a lot’ with her hands, “wear gloves when you’re cleaning or doing gardening, always wear shoes on your feet, when you have sex, it has to be very gentle and lubricated. Small tears or breaks in the vagina can become easily infected and set you back.”
Adrienne noticed the slightly dip in Billie Joe’s head and squeezed his hand. She knew his sexual style and she also knew he would do everything in his manly power to be completely gentle with her now.
“Do not take any sort of aspirin or aceaminophen for any sort of fever or pain without consulting me first.” Dr. Hassel stood up, “Do you have any questions for me?” When the Armstrongs shook their heads, she escorted them out of her office. “If you have any problems or questions, contact me immediately.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Both Billie Joe and Adrienne were quiet as they drove home from the doctor’s office. Each were thinking of what had happened and what was to come. They still had not told Joey and Jakob what was going on, but they knew they would have to do it soon.
Billie Joe changed the radio station as static filled the speakers. He surfed through the variety of stations before just turning the volume completely down and sighed. He turned his head to look at his bride of twelve, going on thirteen years. She had her arms crossed at her stomach and she was looking out the window with a desperately sad look on her face.
Billie Joe reached over and pulled her hand in his. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles and hummed softly.
“Whatcha thinking?”
Adrienne shrugged and shifted down lower in her seat. “I’m kind of not feeling very good.”
“Can you wait until we get off the interstate?” Billie Joe looked over at her over the top of his sunglasses and noticed the ashen look that had come over her. “But I’ll pull over if you want me to.”
Adrienne shook her head and pulled her legs up to her. “No, I’ll be fine. Just turn the air on please.”
Billie Joe let go of her hand to turn on the cool air and his vision swapped from watching the road in front of him to Adrienne, who was breathing deeply and had broken out into a slight sweat.
“We’ll be home in ten minutes Adie, just hang on.”
Adrienne pressed her lips together and nodded. She moaned a little bit and grabbed onto the handle. “Billie pull over now.”
Billie Joe jerked over to the side of the interstate, narrowly missing a minivan just in time for Adrienne to push the door open and hurl her insides onto the concrete below. She coughed and gagged as the vomit spilled out. Honks from passing cars echoed in her head in embarrassment.
“Shhhh,” Billie Joe rubbed her back soothingly as Adrienne released the sick from her system. Once Adrienne ejected what she could, she slouched back into her seat and rubbed her mouth with a fast food napkin Billie Joe handed her.
“Thank you.”
“It’s okay. Do you feel better or do we need to stay for a few more minutes?”
Adrienne took deep breaths again and let out a shaky breath. “You can go. Just get home fast before it happens again.”